India seeks explanations from Telegram, Signal over anonymous username features

NEW DELHI: India has sent notices to Telegram and Signal seeking details of the safeguards they use for features that allow users to communicate without disclosing their phone numbers.

The notices were issued on Thursday and asked both platforms to explain how they prevent impersonation and other misuse linked to username-based interactions. The move marks a further step in India’s scrutiny of online platforms, extending from action against an entire app to examination of particular features across more than one service.

The Indian government is concerned that anonymity enabled through usernames could contribute to online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks. On Wednesday, India’s IT ministry also instructed WhatsApp to halt the rollout of its planned username feature and explain the measure within three days or risk regulatory action, according to a government letter.

India’s IT ministry, Telegram and Signal did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Broader scrutiny of tech platforms

The latest notices come amid repeated confrontations between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and major technology companies. The government has previously been at odds with Elon Musk’s X over content removal orders, and in February tightened compliance rules requiring platforms to take down content flagged by the government within three hours, compared with 36 hours earlier.

The action also follows India’s temporary blocking of Telegram last month, as authorities widened efforts to police digital platforms.

Rights group objects to notices

The Internet Freedom Foundation, a digital rights organisation, urged the IT ministry to withdraw the notices issued to WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal. The group said the notice to Signal, an encrypted messaging service used by journalists and activists, directly affected protected speech.

“This is a dragnet, it is widening, and it has no basis in law,” the group said in a statement.