General · 30 June 2026
WhatsApp to let you chat without phone numbers
WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature letting its three billion users chat by exchanging unique usernames instead of phone numbers. This gives people more control over their privacy, especially in group chats, by hiding their number from others. While content is end-to-end encrypted, WhatsApp will still use metadata, like who you message, for advertising purposes.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs