索马里政府对WhatsApp推出基于用户名而非电话号码的聊天功能表示严重关切，认为这会削弱其执法能力。[1]索马里通讯技术部长Ahmed Osman Dirie表示该功能"可能对安全构成风险"，并指出"转向用户名而远离电话号码，我们相信会使我们更难以应对这些犯罪"。[1]
该功能预计在未来几个月内向全球30亿WhatsApp用户推出。[1]索马里政府已就此向Meta提出关切，Dirie表示"希望我们很快就能就此事达成解决方案"。[1]他进一步要求Meta证明隐藏电话号码不会"侵蚀数字可追溯性"，并提供"特定保障"防范金融欺诈。[1]
索马里的担忧背景在于，该国正与基地组织附属武装组织al-Shabab进行对抗。[1]2024年，索马里情报部门称已关闭20个alleged由al-Shabab运营的WhatsApp群组，禁用了约2,500个与其关联的电话号码。[1]
印度也对该功能提出了类似的关注。[1]作为WhatsApp最大市场，拥有超过8.5亿用户，印度表示用户名可能增加诈骗、冒充和犯罪的风险。[1]
对此，WhatsApp回应称该功能尚未上线，用户仍需电话号码使用该应用，且该功能内置了防诈骗保障。[1]
Somalia's government has expressed serious alarm over WhatsApp's plan to introduce a username-based messaging feature, warning that it could undermine law enforcement's ability to track and combat criminal activity. Communications Technology Minister Ahmed Osman Dirie stated the feature "may pose a risk to security" [1] and cautioned that "moving towards usernames and away from phone numbers, we believe will make it harder for us to deal with these crimes." [1]
The new functionality, set to roll out globally to WhatsApp's 3 billion users within the coming months [1], would allow users to communicate using usernames rather than phone numbers. Somalia's concerns center on its ongoing fight against al-Shabab, the al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group. In 2024, the country's intelligence agency reported shutting down 20 WhatsApp groups allegedly operated by al-Shabab and disabling approximately 2,500 associated phone numbers [1].
Dirie has called on Meta to demonstrate that obscuring phone numbers will not "erode digital traceability" and to provide "specific safeguards" against financial fraud [1]. The government has already raised its concerns with Meta and expressed hope that "we can reach a solution on this matter very soon." [1]
WhatsApp has responded by clarifying that the feature is not yet live and that users will still need a phone number to use the application [1]. The company also noted that the feature includes built-in anti-fraud protections [1].
Somalia is not alone in its concerns. India, which hosts over 850 million WhatsApp users—the platform's largest market—has similarly warned that usernames could increase fraud, impersonation, and other criminal activity [1].