Singapore leaders’ names blocked by WhatsApp among high-profile usernames reserved …

SINGAPORE: WhatsApp has started reserving high-profile usernames before rolling out its new username feature, with the names of several Singapore political leaders already blocked from public registration. Usernames matching Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam, Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan couldn’t be registered. Similar versions of those names have also been reserved. WhatsApp’s plan is to let users connect through usernames instead of sharing their phone numbers. The reservations are meant to stop impersonation before the feature reaches users, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported (July 11). Reserved usernames are to stop fake accounts Meta-owned WhatsApp said usernames linked to public figures, government bodies and similar well-known identities have been set aside so only their legitimate owners can claim them. The company also reserved lookalike versions of those usernames to make it harder for scammers or impersonators to create convincing fake accounts. Users can already reserve their preferred username before the feature reaches their country. WhatsApp will notify them when the option becomes available. Privacy feature adds extra checks for new contacts The username system is designed to give users another way to communicate without revealing their phone numbers. When
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