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Algeria wants Meta to ban WhatsApp accounts that aren’t linked to local numbers

Algeria wants Meta to ban WhatsApp accounts that aren’t linked to local numbers

The Algerian government has reportedly warned Meta that all WhatsApp accounts in the country must be linked to a valid mobile phone number registered with an Algerian telco, and instructed it to ban all WhatsApp accounts that aren’t.

According to news agency Ecofin, Algeria's Ministry of Post and Telecommunications sent an official notice to Meta on Monday expressing concerns about WhatsApp’s new "Usernames" feature announced at the end of June. The feature – which is slated to be rolled out later this year – allows WhatsApp users to create a unique username instead of sharing their phone number. It also allows users to adopt their Instagram username, making it easier to connect across Meta’s platforms.

The notice said the ministry is worried about the traceability of WhatsApp users whose phone numbers are kept hidden, which it said could potentially be abused for fraud, identity theft and cybercrime.

While it doesn’t object to the "Usernames" feature as such, the ministry said Meta must take steps to ensure that all existing and newly registered WhatApp accounts are connected to Algerian SIMs.

Under current regulations in Algeria, mobile users must provide an ID document to obtain a SIM card so that the card’s number is associated with the user. The ministry wants Meta to guarantee this won’t change with the Usernames feature, the report said.

The ministry notice also instructs Meta to ban all WhatsApp accounts with numbers registered outside of Algeria, the report added. It is unclear whether such a ban would apply to mobile users roaming into the country.

According to Algerian Radio, WhatsApp has nearly 27 million registered users in Algeria.

The Indian government expressed similar concerns over WhatsApp Usernames last month, sending Meta a letter ordering it to justify the feature and halt its rollout in India until officials assess its impact.

WhatsApp responded that users still need a phone number to register an account, while people will only be able to message others if they know their exact username. WhatsApp also said Usernames includes safeguards against fraud, such as limits on how many new users an account can contact and protections against repeated attempts to guess user names.



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