WhatsApp Usernames Raise Impersonation Concerns

When WhatsApp announced that users would soon be able to chat using usernames instead of phone numbers, the feature sounded like a long-overdue privacy improvement. It promised users greater control over who could see their phone numbers while making it easier to connect with new people. But almost immediately after Meta began rolling out username reservations this week, a different conversation started to emerge—one about impersonation, scams, and whether the feature could unintentionally make