Amid WhatsApp Row, Zoho's Sridhar Vembu Says Arattai To Drop Username Feature

New Delhi ( Abhishek Singh ) : Zoho-backed messaging platform Arattai is withdrawing its username-based account feature, citing the need to comply with evolving regulatory requirements amid increased government scrutiny of anonymous communication features on messaging platforms.

The decision was confirmed by Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu, who said on X, "We will be disabling the username-based account feature in Arattai to comply with the regulatory change."

The development comes amid government directs Meta not to roll out WhatsApp username feature. The government has also issued compliance notices to messaging platforms such as Telegram and Signal, both of which already offer username-based identities, seeking details on the safeguards they have in place to prevent misuse.

Arattai had allowed users to create accounts using usernames instead of relying solely on mobile phone numbers, a feature designed to enhance user privacy by reducing the need to share personal contact details. With the withdrawal of the feature, the homegrown messaging platform will align its services with prevailing regulatory requirements.

Arattai introduced usernames before WhatsApp, operating the feature strictly as an opt-in utility tool rather than a default setting. Developed by Zoho Corporation, Arattai is an Indian messaging application that offers messaging, voice and video calling, file sharing, channels, and end-to-end encrypted direct chats and calls.