WhatsApp is now number-free. Messenger introduces custom @usernames for safer communication

WhatsApp is testing a unique username feature that will allow you to communicate without exchanging phone numbers, increasing anonymity and spam protection. 

• According to a leak from WABetaInfo, WhatsApp will soon allow you to create unique usernames (for example, @oleg\_dentist\_) that will completely hide your number during communication. This step has long been implemented in Telegram and Signal, and it was young people who actively demanded a similar functionality in WhatsApp. According to the new rules, the nickname must contain at least one letter and not start with “[www](http://www)”, and its change will be visible to others. The binding to the number will be preserved, but only the name will be displayed. A phased launch of the feature through the web version of the messenger is expected.
• Amid growing demands for privacy and data protection, Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, has faced constant criticism and fines for its excessive data collection. The unification of accounts across Instagram, Threads, and now WhatsApp fits into the company’s overall strategy, but this innovation is a rare example of Meta moving towards greater privacy. The introduction of usernames is also intended to simplify communication in public groups and business chats where revealing your number is impractical or dangerous.

The introduction of @usernames is a big step towards privacy and convenience, putting WhatsApp on a par with the next generation of messengers. It also opens up new opportunities for branding, marketing, and secure communication, where a personal number is no longer a condition for contact.