Since the reservation of WhatsApp Username feature started, controversy has started over this feature. First this feature was banned in India and now Somalia (in East Africa) has also objected to the proposed WhatsApp username feature of meta platforms like India. Somalia has expressed security concerns as the country has been battling Islamic extremists for the last two decades.
WhatsApp This month, it has started giving users the facility to reserve a unique handle. The company hopes that this handle will go live by the end of this year. This is part of Meta’s effort under which 3 billion users of the messaging app will be able to connect with each other without sharing phone numbers. Last week, India asked Meta to delay rolling out the new feature over fears it could increase online fraud. With more than 600 million users, India is WhatsApp’s biggest market.
What is Somalia’s concern?
Mustapha Yassin Sheikh, director-general of Somalia’s National Communications Authority, said over the phone recently that changing phone numbers could make it difficult for Somalia’s security agencies to identify people involved in terrorism, organized crime and other illegal activities.
He said, Somalia is following the example of India. The concerns we have raised include the possibility of increased fraud in the name of government institutions and government officials, financial fraud targeting Somalia’s mobile money system, and the abuse of anonymous communication by terrorist organizations such as al-Shabaab and organized cyber-criminal networks.
Somalia’s government has been fighting al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab militants since 2006. Due to this insurgency, thousands of people have been killed, millions have been displaced in their own country and the government has been forced to spend its limited resources on security instead of development.
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