The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued notices to Telegram and Signal, seeking information about their username feature, a day after sending a similar notice to WhatsApp over its upcoming username rollout.
Telegram and Signal already allow users to communicate through usernames instead of phone numbers, but they had not commented on the notices at the time of publication. The username feature was available on both platforms on Thursday.
The latest move comes shortly after Telegram faced a temporary government ban during the NEET examination period, when authorities argued that backdated PDF files could be used for false claims of question paper leaks. Telegram challenged the decision in the Delhi High Court, but the court upheld the government’s action before the platform was restored after the examination concluded.
The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) criticised the notices, calling them an “unconstitutional dragnet over privacy features.” The digital rights organisation argued that username-based communication helps protect users’ privacy by allowing them to interact without sharing their phone numbers.
IFF also said there is currently no explicit provision under the Information Technology Act authorising restrictions on such features, adding that any regulatory framework should be backed by legislation rather than executive action.
The organisation expressed particular concern over the notice issued to Signal, noting that the encrypted messaging platform stores minimal user data and is widely used by journalists, activists, and others who rely on secure communication.
