WhatsApp Begins Limited Rollout of Usernames

WhatsApp is starting to let some users create usernames instead of sharing their phone numbers to start conversations.

This is a big change because it helps keep your phone number private.

You can make a username in your profile settings, and it's optional to use the same one as on Facebook or Instagram.

WhatsApp is also adding safety features to prevent bad people from pretending to be someone else.

The Indian government had some worries about this, but WhatsApp is still rolling it out slowly to see how it works.