knoppix14h ago

WhatsApp is rolling out usernames in beta on Android and iOS, enabling messaging without exposing phone numbers, though signup still requires a number 🔐
Usernames allow 3–35 chars, optional 4-digit keys, and Meta linking, reflecting partial privacy gains but continued centralized identity control 🧩

🔗 https://9to5google.com/2026/04/08/whatsapp-username-support-rolling-out/

#TechNews #WhatsApp #Meta #Messaging #Privacy #Usernames #OpenTech #DataProtection #Security #DigitalRights #Encryption #FOSS #Transparency #BigTech #OnlineIdentity

WhatsApp starts rolling out usernames in beta, keeps your phone number private

WhatsApp has started rolling out support for usernames, allowing users to keep their phone numbers private while still using the app.

9to5Google
Show threadMr Fry13h ago
@knoppix95 the only use for WhatsApp is using WhatsApp business to set an auto reply to tell people that you've moved to Signal or Delta Chat.
Show threadknoppix
@mrfry 🤣 True, sadly in some countries there's no other way to talk to people.
9:50pmWeb
Show threadMr Fry13h ago
@knoppix95 Genuine question: are there countries that allow WhatsApp but block alternatives??
Show threadknoppix13h ago
@mrfry You probably understood and pushing as much as you can vs Meta. I understand, we all wish we could but if 99% of the population of a country uses WhatsApp you must sacrifice some privacy or you'd leave under a rock...
Show threadMr Fry13h ago

@knoppix95 Hahaha, I knew I was risking sounding sarcastic which is why I mentioned "genuine question". When the AI appeared in WhatApp I decided that I was done with it and move completely off it using the trick I mentioned.

About 20 people installed it as a result. Including the broker who sold me my boat (I'm a "live aboard" boater, not a "posh yacht boater"), and the guy who transported it. The rest have to suffer using SMS.

Also gone from my life are LLMs, anything Apple, Microsoft, Google, Meta, Twitter and probably some others I don't even remember anymore. I like it under my rock 🤗

I do have a Pixel phone but it's second hand and running e/OS. And my laptop is second hand as well and running Linux. Probably 75% of the stuff I buy is second hand.

I hope I don't sound like I'm virtue signalling. There is just no choice for me but to be the change I want to see in the world. There is no way I am knowingly adding a penny to billionaires' stacks. These people are responsible for the dire state of the world right now.

Show threadknoppix12h ago
@mrfry I'll give a short reply, with something that I like a lot: lists.
- I'll try to push more people to install Signal, but it will be hard.
- What if there's years of history of chatting in WP, throw everything in the bin?
- How is e/OS? Why not GOS? Anyway, smartphones are part of us nowadays, BigTech are somehow 100% reliable...
- Ofc, Lenovo/Linux is naughty combo
- You are surely mentally stronger than me, I'm trying to live with less paranoia so I always find a good privacy/comfort rate
Show threadknoppix12h ago
@mrfry with third point I mean, GOS has IDs, Banks, NFC incompatibility... what if someone doesn't want to sacrifice these functionalities that helps people daily?
Show threadMr Fry12h ago

@knoppix95
> What if there's years of history of chatting in WP, throw everything in the bin?
Yeah I did just trash everything. Though I'm pretty sure there are ways to export your chats as text / HTML files. At least there used to...

> How is e/OS?
Absoluty great! Super snappy and stable. They even provide a cloud service with free and paid tier which helps finance development. Buying a phone from them also does, and saves you the headache of installing it yourself. Which I did and it took me a couple of days. Also I think I had to use Chrome for the automated install but got rid of it right after :) And yes, my bank app works with it. Look yours up, I think I found a list back in the day...
They provide an app to use the Play Store without a Google account. You only need one for paid apps. I mainly use F-droid anyway.
I don't tap my phone to pay. I have only one bank card so I just slap my wallet on the machine and to be honest that seems to work more smoothly than Apple / Google pay most of the time 😉

> Ofc, Lenovo/Linux is naughty combo
I am actually on a Razer Blade because I wanted a 13" with half decent graphics as it's my only machine. Razer doesn't play well with open source software but I got everything working in the end... The day this one dies I'd like to switch to more open hardware...

> You are surely mentally stronger than me
Living on a boat teaches you a lot about ditching some comfort and feeling a bit outside of society. But again, I don't think it's a matter of mental strength. I think I'm just a bit hypersensitive and the state of the world really brings me down. Doing this kind of stuff actually helps me cope :)

Show threadMr Fry11h ago
@knoppix95 PS and yes the issues you mention about Graphene OS are the reason why I went for e/OS.