Whatsapp Update: Whatsapp could replace phone numbers with user names.
According to WABetainfo, in a new beta WhatsApp update of the platform designed for Android, there will be an option to select a unique user name on your Whatsapp profile instead of a phone number.
If testing is successful, this could revolutionise how we communicate with clients.
A Millennial’s dream!
We already have Whatsapp for Business but with a unique user name, we would no longer need to give out our phone number.
As a business owner (and classic Millennial) something I have never particularly liked is giving out my phone number. There is something about making my personal phone number public that presents an element of vulnerability for me. Plus I don’t want to make myself the subject of nuisance phone calls!
If Whatsapp allowed phone calls to user names, we wouldn’t need to display phone numbers on websites and business cards… That’s with the assumption that most of us use WhatsApp of course!
Whatsapp Vs Facebook Messenger
Whatsapp for business is already connected to Instagram and Facebook as an additional tool for businesses to communicate with customers. Adding a user name could make it very similar to Facebook Messenger, both of which are owned by Meta. It would be interesting to see how the platforms will differ after the WhatsApp update takes place.
Improve Privacy
We have to remember that Meta own both Whatsapp and Facebook. Meta has been the subject of many privacy scandals and updated their privacy policy in 2022.
Whatsapp have always maintained that their messages are ‘end to end encrypted’, but this extra security measure would offer additional reassurance with another layer of verification.
How could this WhatsApp update help health and wellness businesses?
For health and wellness businesses in particular, this could be huge.
Without the need to display a phone number publicly, it could help preserve user anonymity when communicating with businesses. This is speculation, however, it could allow users to contact health and wellness professionals about sensitive issues without having to present their personal information. A big positive if it helps them to get the support they need.
This is a WhatsApp update for June 2023 so as always, watch this space to see how this evolves.
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