Meta rolling out usernames on WhatsApp

mylesillidge

mylesillidge

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WhatsApp to launch new feature that hides your number

Meta Platforms–owned WhatsApp has announced the launch of usernames, allowing users to hide their phone numbers and real names by using unique identifiers instead.

The social media platform shared that the new feature is launching globally over the coming months and is already rolling out to users in African countries.
 
“With over three billion people on WhatsApp a lot of names overlap, which is why we’re opening reservations early so everyone has the opportunity to select the username that matters to them,” it said.
“For most people, choosing a WhatsApp username should be something unique that only people you want to contact you will know.”

Some poor bastard out there called RaptorSA might be getting hate messages and death threats from MyBB members.
Anyway, sounds like a cool feature, using phone numbers should be eliminated by all means and they should essentially become an additional "IMEI".
 
RaptorSA said:
“With over three billion people on WhatsApp a lot of names overlap, which is why we’re opening reservations early so everyone has the opportunity to select the username that matters to them,” it said.
“For most people, choosing a WhatsApp username should be something unique that only people you want to contact you will know.”

Some poor bastard out there called RaptorSA might be getting hate messages and death threats from MyBB members.
Click to expand...
I've just bought 50 cheap phones and sims in order to register the top 50 posters on mybb $$$$$$$.
 
RaptorSA said:
“With over three billion people on WhatsApp a lot of names overlap, which is why we’re opening reservations early so everyone has the opportunity to select the username that matters to them,” it said.
“For most people, choosing a WhatsApp username should be something unique that only people you want to contact you will know.”

Some poor bastard out there called RaptorSA might be getting hate messages and death threats from MyBB members.
Anyway, sounds like a cool feature, using phone numbers should be eliminated by all means and they should essentially become an additional "IMEI".
Click to expand...
you can add a pin code so nobody can message you unless they have it
 
“With over three billion people on WhatsApp a lot of names overlap, which is why we’re opening reservations early so everyone has the opportunity to select the username that matters to them,” it said.

“For most people, choosing a WhatsApp username should be something unique that only people you want to contact you will know.”
Click to expand...
To me, the username ePxKERpj8kBiFnGoRhIQkJvbyvCrHevnW1 really matters, and brings joyful tears to my eyes every time I recall various fond memories about it. Glad that I am able to use it now on Whatsapp as well.

I also reckon that it is unique enough that only immediate friends and acquaintances will know me by this username, so it should be no trouble for them or any other person to type it in, by hand, on a phone, when they need to message me via Whatsapp for the first time.

It would be interesting to see how spammers/scammers are going to abuse the functionality, since you can pre-populate a contact list with generated/bought phone numbers and then the targets won't be able to see which country the message originates from since they don't have your number saved.
 
Notice just popped up on my WA now.
Got my 6 digit gmail username :)
 
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Hilarious that they’re still called Meta, when Web 3.0 and the metaverse spectacularly failed.

Latency is a thing. I still have no idea how they wanted this global VR chat thing to work.
 
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