Zoho Adjusts Arattai Features Amid Regulatory Heat

Zoho's Arattai app is dropping its username-based account feature to comply with new Indian regulations. This move follows governmental scrutiny over potential risks associated with usernames, such as fraud and impersonation. The decision aligns with India's recent notice to Meta regarding similar concerns with WhatsApp.

Zoho Corporation has announced that its instant messaging application, Arattai, will no longer support a username-based account system. The decision, made public by co-founder Sridhar Vembu through his official account, is a response to newly implemented regulatory changes in India.

The move coincides with increased governmental attention after a notice was issued to Meta regarding WhatsApp's upcoming 'usernames' feature in India. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has raised concerns about potential risks like online fraud, phishing, and digital arrest scams, which prompted the regulatory shift.

The Indian government cautioned that the 'usernames' feature could lead to heightened incidences of impersonation and identity spoofing, posing risks especially when usernames closely resemble those of genuine entities. Authorities have demanded a comprehensive explanation from Meta and halted the feature's launch pending further consultation.