About this episode

The episode discusses WhatsApp's upcoming username feature and its implications for privacy and security.

WhatsApp is preparing to introduce usernames that will allow people to communicate without publicly sharing their phone numbers. The feature could deliver a meaningful privacy improvement, particularly in group conversations, business interactions and chats with people who have only recently met. However, it has also raised questions about impersonation, phishing, financial fraud, mobile-money security and whether accounts involved in criminal activity will remain traceable. On the 15th July 2026, I joined Nkechi Onyinyechi Ogbonna on BBC World Service’s Focus on Africa to discuss WhatsApp’s forthcoming username feature. The programme also featured Somalia’s State Minister of Communications and Technology, Hon. Ahmed Osman Diiriye , who explained why his government wants Meta to provide stronger assurances around fraud, mobile-money security and digital traceability. The discussion examines why Somalia wants Meta to demonstrate “proof of traceability,” the concerns India has raised and the protections WhatsApp says it is building into the feature. It also explains: The difference between reserving and activating a username How usernames differ from display names Why users will…

People in this episode

Host: Moses Kemibaro

Guest: Nkechi Onyinyechi Ogbonna

Topics covered

• WhatsApp usernames
• privacy
• digital identity
• fraud
• mobile-money security
• impersonation

Keywords

• WhatsApp
• usernames
• privacy
• fraud
• digital identity
• mobile-money
• impersonation
• security

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC, Meta

Places: Somalia, India

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