A news analysis explains how the WhatsApp "username" debate has brought the issue of informational privacy to the forefront.
It notes that both WhatsApp and the Centre, though approaching from different angles, seek to address privacy concerns.
The analysis recalls the Supreme Court’s 2017 judgment in the Puttaswamy case, where "informational privacy" was recognised as part of the fundamental right to privacy under Article 21.
WhatsApp argues that optional usernames improve privacy by reducing reliance on phone numbers for identification.
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