WhatsApp is about to take one of the most important steps since it became popular in Spain: the arrival of the WhatsApp usernames to chat without showing your phone numberA change that, on paper, seems simple, but that can completely modify how we share our contact information and how we interact through the app.
This new feature is clearly inspired by what rivals like Telegram or Signal are already doing and points in two very clear directions: strengthen user privacy and curb the growing problem of spam and unwanted messages that flood many chats. At the same time, it opens the door to new risks of identity theft and challenges for companies, brands, and freelancers who use WhatsApp as a communication channel.
What are WhatsApp usernames and why are they appearing now?
So far, The only official way to locate someone on WhatsApp was with their phone numberThis has made the app very personal, but also a perfect channel for all kinds of unsolicited communications, from aggressive advertising to scam attempts.
With the new feature, WhatsApp will allow people to locate each other and chat using a nickname or unique identifierThis is similar to what has been happening for years on Telegram and Signal. This way, you can share your username on a website, social network, or even a business card, without having to show your personal number to everyone.
The idea is that this username will function as a kind of public alias within the Meta ecosystemso that we can maintain better control over truly sensitive information, such as the telephone, and better separate the private sphere from the professional or public sphere.
WaBetaInfo, a media outlet specializing in tracking the development of the application, reports that The rollout has already begun on selected accountsIn other words, the option would be in advanced testing, which is usually the prelude to a wider release for the rest of the users throughout the year.
Privacy: Chat without giving out your phone number
The main consequence of this new development is obvious: It will no longer be necessary to share your personal mobile number to start a conversationYou will only need to provide your username, which is especially useful in situations where you don't know the other party well.
As Miguel Ortega, director of processes and security at cdmon, explains, from a privacy point of view,We won clearly."Now it will be possible for anyone to contact us via WhatsApp without knowing our real number, which reduces the direct exposure of data that, in Spain and Europe, is considered especially sensitive."
This change also affects how we move around in public or semi-open groups and channelsWe will be able to participate in communities without the other members seeing our mobile phone, something that until now could only be enjoyed on competing platforms, and that many users have been requesting for years.
Furthermore, in online registrations where we previously gave out our phone number almost without thinking—such as online stores, travel agencies, or booking services—we can, in theory, limit the impact of that data circulating or ending up in the hands of third parties who use it for overly insistent marketing campaigns.
Goodbye (in part) to spam: how nicknames help curb unwanted messages
One of WhatsApp's biggest current problems is the bombardment of advertising messages and unwanted contactsAnyone who gets your number can write to you directly, even if you haven't shown any interest in receiving that type of communication.
Until now, the defenses were limited: Block numbers one by one, restrict who sees your profile picture or your last seen time And that's about it. All of this happens after the fact, once the unwanted message has already arrived in your inbox.
With usernames, WhatsApp is following the same path as Signal, where the option already exists to A person can only be contacted using their username, not their phone number.This reduces the reach of spam because it is no longer as profitable to collect phone lists and send mass messages.
Think, for example, about when you sign up for an online store or a travel comparison site to see "secret deals" and, in the end, you don't buy anything. Even so, you've already provided your phone number, which can end up being used to send you promotions in a context as personal as WhatsApp. With a user, Exposure of your real number is minimized and the door to spam is narrowed..
New risks: impersonation and accounts that look official
However, it's not all positive. When entering usernames, other issues also come into play. new risks of identity theftvery similar to those already seen daily with web domains, emails or Telegram accounts.
According to Ortega, the main problem will be that cybercriminals can create accounts with names very similar to those of legitimate companies or peopleThis facilitates scams of all kinds, from fake bank promotions to phishing attempts that take advantage of the user's resemblance to deceive the most unsuspecting.
In this scenario, WhatsApp could leverage tools that already exist on other Meta platforms. The company has brand protection systems on Facebook and Instagram, and it is possible that they will adopt similar mechanisms for usernames on WhatsApp, although for now there is no official confirmation of how it will work.
Furthermore, it is likely that they will appear business solutions based on account verificationwhere brands or public figures pay for some kind of badge that verifies that the username is authentic. However, as is already the case on other networks, a verified account does not prevent the existence of very similar accounts without that badge.
The challenge of choosing your name: race to avoid losing your username
Another key point will be the race to register the desired username Once the feature is activated on a large scale, just like with email addresses or social media usernames, whoever claims it first gets it.
If you want a very generic identifier—your first name, for example—the normal thing to do is “fly” in the first few minutes as soon as the option becomes available. That's why it's a good idea to start thinking about reasonable alternatives that reflect your brand, but aren't so obvious that they're already taken.
Paradoxically, if what you intend is Protect yourself from spam and unwanted contactsPerhaps you're not interested in an overly popular or easily guessed username. Opting for something more unique or creative can make it harder for those trying to find you.
In any case, when Meta launches, it will be important for the most active users to access the app's settings. as soon as possible to set your aliasespecially if they already use it on other platforms and want to maintain some consistency in their digital identity.
Impact on SMEs, brands and professionals
For companies, freelancers and SMEs in Spain and the rest of Europe, the username will become a new, powerful public identifierIt will no longer be just the customer service number: the alias will be the visible face of the brand within WhatsApp.
As Ortega points out, many companies will find that It's not so easy to get the user they'd like.This is something they've already experienced when registering on other platforms. Brands that move late could find that their exact name is already taken.
Given this, the recommendation is to opt for a username consistent with digital identity of the company, even if it does not literally coincide with the brand, and communicate it in all the channels that the company already controls: corporate website, social networks and newsletters, among others.
From a legal point of view, it will continue to exist Trademark law and European regulations that protect trade namesMeta will likely have internal processes in place to remove an alias and assign it to another account in very clear cases, such as those involving banks, large consumer companies, or officially registered entities, although this is not expected to be applied across the board.
Digital identity and the role of the Meta ecosystem
WhatsApp's move didn't come out of nowhere: it's part of a broader strategy by Meta to unify user identity among its various platformsThis is already evident with the shared accounts center that integrates Facebook, Instagram and other services from the group.
According to Ortega, from a technical point of view this change means that a service historically linked to the telephone It can now also be used with a username as the central element. This is another step towards a digital identity that doesn't depend solely on a mobile number.
In theory, this shift shouldn't change the sovereignty of personal data Nor the guarantees offered by regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union, although it will always be necessary to pay attention to how it is implemented in practice and what configuration and control options are actually put in the hands of the user.
On a practical level, for most people in Spain the change will be noticeable in that it will be easier to share their contact information, move between Meta platforms and maintain a more consistent identity without having to expose the phone number in each new service where they want to communicate.
Overall, the arrival of usernames on WhatsApp aims to transform the app into a more flexible and somewhat more secure tool against spam, while forcing users, companies and administrations to get their act together in the management of digital identity and protection against impersonation, in an environment that is increasingly centralized around the Meta ecosystem.
