Meta Platforms, owner of WhatsApp, will soon allow its more than 3 billion global users to adopt usernames instead of phone numbers, a move presented as a privacy improvement while simultaneously solidifying corporate control over digital identity. The company announced Monday it has begun allowing users to reserve unique usernames, with the feature set to launch later this year.
WhatsApp stated in a blog post that over the “coming months,” users will gain the option to be contacted solely by their username, rather than their phone number. This change, according to Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp’s vice president of product, was designed as a “core privacy feature.” She noted that individuals will need to know an exact username to initiate contact for the first time.
Digital Enclosure
Until this update, anyone possessing a user’s phone number could contact that person on WhatsApp, a structural vulnerability the company now labels a “privacy blind spot.” The new system will not feature a directory of usernames, nor will the app suggest names as users type. WhatsApp’s existing privacy settings are limited to blocking individual users and silencing unknown callers, alongside a profile name displayed only in chat groups for those without saved contact information.
Despite the framing as a privacy enhancement, the shift introduces a new layer of digital enclosure. Catchy online handles are highly coveted. Users will likely scramble to claim desirable ones, a dynamic acknowledged by Newton-Rex, who stated, “I think a lot of people will go and get usernames and that’s why we decided to open reservations early.” This scramble effectively commodifies a basic aspect of digital communication.
Corporate Privilege
While ordinary users compete for these new digital identifiers, capital receives preferential treatment. Companies, organizations, and creators already holding accounts on Meta’s other social media platforms, Instagram and Facebook, will be granted the opportunity to claim their desired usernames on WhatsApp first. This ensures that established corporate and influencer entities maintain their brand presence and reach across Meta’s ecosystem, reinforcing their market position.
Furthermore, WhatsApp will actively hold back specific usernames. These reserved names are designated for “high-profile people or groups such as celebrities, public figures and government entities,” ostensibly to prevent impersonation. This policy highlights the platform’s alignment with state and elite interests, ensuring their digital identities are protected and controlled within the corporate framework. Usernames must be between three and 35 characters.
WhatsApp’s global reach is significant, with widespread use across Europe, Asia, and much of the world, even as Americans tend to prefer traditional text messaging. This update, while offering a superficial layer of privacy, ultimately reinforces Meta’s dominion over global digital communication, transforming user identity into a managed asset within its vast corporate network.