No need to share numbers as WhatsApp set to introduce new feature for texting

ONP Summary
WhatsApp is introducing usernames as an alternative to phone numbers for starting conversations, with users now able to reserve their chosen usernames ahead of complete global deployment. The feature, supporting usernames between 3 and 35 characters, is intended to expand user privacy by allowing people to communicate with new contacts without revealing their phone numbers.
Progressive: Progressive-leaning outlets emphasize privacy protection and user control as the central design principle of the feature, framing it as a way to enhance personal information security and give users greater discretion over their data.
Moderate: Centrist sources focus on the practical aspects of how users can reserve and use usernames, presenting the feature as a useful new option for managing communication.
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WhatsApp, one of Hong Kong’s most popular messaging apps, will soon no longer require users to share their phone numbers before they start texting.
Starting this week, users can reserve a unique username, which allows them to text without swapping numbers, for use later this year when the Meta-owned service launches the feature.
Users will need to know a person’s exact username before they can text them for the first time.
United States tech giant Meta said on Monday that the new move was a step...