After WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal receive notices on username feature – The Hindu

Spokespersons for Telegram and Signal did not have an immediate comment to share on the notices. File photo for representational purposes only. | Photo Credit: Dado Ruvic The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Thursday (July 2, 2026) sent notices to Telegram and Signal, seeking information on their username feature. The notice comes shortly after a similar missive was sent to WhatsApp on Wednesday (July 1, 2026). The Meta-owned messaging platform is yet to implement the feature anywhere in the world, but is taking reservations for usernames. Spokespersons for Telegram and Signal did not have an immediate comment to share on the notices (Telegram was contacted outside normal business hours in the United Arab Emirates). The username feature appeared to remain available on both platforms well into Thursday evening. The Union government’s move against the three messaging platforms comes on the heels of a week-long ban of Telegram, after authorities argued that backdated PDF files could lead to people mistakenly assuming a question paper was leaked. Telegram fought against the ban in the Delhi High Court, calling the move a “mistake”. The court sided with the government, holding the short ban a proportionate response. Telegram was unblocked after
Read More