Somalia is backing India’s objection to Meta Platforms’ planned WhatsApp feature that lets users connect through usernames instead of phone numbers, according to reporting from Bloomberg and The Next Web. Somalia cites security concerns, pointing to the country’s long-running conflict with Islamist militants. The dispute is expanding beyond India: Somalia joins India in formally raising questions about the usernames change, after WhatsApp began rolling it out at the end of the previous year. Bloomberg characterizes Somalia’s concerns as related to protecting security in a setting affected by insurgent activity for around two decades. The Next Web reports that Somalia is the second national government to formally query Meta within a week, widening the disagreement across multiple regions. While the outlets describe the nature of the concerns and the countries involved, they do not indicate that Meta has adjusted or paused the feature. The issue centers on whether using usernames, rather than phone numbers, poses additional risks for identity verification and safety in high-threat environments.