A few days ago, after announcing the new username feature, WhatsApp took to X and said, “Your phone number is personal and sometimes you want to connect without handing it over. that’s why we’re introducing usernames for WhatsApp.
“Starting this week, you can reserve a username to use later this year when we launch the feature. It takes just a few seconds, make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp and then go to Settings > Account > Username.”
We know that this feature was designed to prevent things like giving out phone numbers, but but since it started rolling out, WhatsApp has been receiving quite a bit of backlash, especially when it comes to security concerns.
What Concerns Do The Public Have On WhatsApp’s Feature?
Experts and users alike are concerned that since usernames are easy to access, hackers will find new ways to search random names and find people to attack.
ICT veteran commentator Adrian Schofield brought this point up, saying, “Short usernames will not be difficult to find and are likely to become a new ‘game’ for those who enjoy breaking privacy protection.”
WhatsApp has become a part of our everyday lives. We use the app to connect with people in our personal lives, as well as for work and business. Before this feature, we experienced quite a few outages and breaches. Now, many seem to believe the risks will be greater.
When such privacy risks arise, it raises a very important question: are we too reliant on the app?
Well, experts have answered this, and here’s what they say…
Our Experts:
- Alexandra Hayes, Generative AI & SaaS GTM Consultant, AI Product Strategy, WAPlus CRM
- Faye McCann, Business Mentor, Faye Mac Consultancy
- Matt Baharav, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, MKB Media Solutions
- Hien Nguyen, Co-Founder, Happy Way
Alexandra Hayes, Generative AI & SaaS GTM Consultant, AI Product Strategy, WAPlus CRM
“Yes, while there is a growing dependency on WhatsApp throughout communicative structures used by companies and people, the problem is not that WhatsApp is a poor tool. In many ways, it has transformed from a messaging tool to a critical communications infrastructure.
“WhatsApp has become the primary tool for personal communication for everything from family check-ins to school and community groups coordination to trip planning, “customer service” and many more. It is a highly convenient tool that becomes a dependency. Once a dependency is created, breaking it becomes difficult, and losing access to an account, changing a phone number, missing messages, or simply wanting personal/professional communication boundaries, can make things very inconvenient.
“The problem is even bigger for businesses. The early-stage small business WhatsApp “infrastructure” becomes the customer relationship management system (CRM), support desk, sales channel, booking tool, relationship management system, etc. The ease and familiarity of using WhatsApp become the friction that stunts the growth of the business. The dependency on WhatsApp creates numerous problems for businesses with a need for customer relationship tracking, compliant communications, and business process automation.
“WhatsApp is great as one channel of a multi-channel communication system with CRM, automation, client records, communication processes, and backup channels. The key to success is not reducing WhatsApp use; it is integrating WhatsApp into the larger communication systems.
“The companies that will gain the most from WhatsApp will be the ones that use it intentionally. AI and automation technologies will help businesses manage WhatsApp chats more efficiently, pre-qualify leads, respond to frequently asked questions, and guide customers to the appropriate next step. However, we should aim to lessen friction, rather than creating overdependence.”
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Faye McCann, Business Mentor, Faye Mac Consultancy
“I absolutely think some business owners can become too reliant on Whatsapp to communicate with customers and make sales. Tech crashes leave us vulnerable to relying heavily on anyone platform, inclusing whatsapp.
“Therefore, I think it’s always advisable to have customer information and contact information not just on whatsapp on various platforms. And, of course, focus on one thing that’s always your own: your email list. Not everyone is consistent in checking the same platform as us, which can be problematic, so relying on whatsapp too heavily to run a business can cause issues.”
Matt Baharav, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, MKB Media Solutions
“We need to do that audit now.
“Many client agreements are being handled exclusively in one WhatsApp thread; there is no backup, no written record of anything; just a message in an app where everything can go away at the drop of a hat – either when someone loses their phone, or when someone’s number changes.
“People shouldn’t be so casual about this.
“The reason businesses continue to move all their communication into encrypted apps is partly due to the growing trend of teams working from different parts of the world at different times.
“This habit will grow as more and more people work remotely.
“When advising my business clients on how to protect themselves as sources do with stories: If you want something to survive beyond the life of your device, it has to have a home somewhere other than the app.”
Hien Nguyen, Co-Founder, Happy Way
“I believe we are not overly dependent on WhatsApp because we use it too frequently, but because of how we are expected to treat each message as if it was urgent.
“WhatsApp has enabled us to communicate much faster; however, speed doesn’t equate to clear communication. When every notification is viewed as something that requires immediate attention, the recipient typically ends up responding reflexively than thoughtfully.
“Ultimately, this results in a culture where people assume that being constantly available equals productive behaviours.
“In my opinion, the most productive teams are intentional in determining what needs communicating via a short message, versus what needs a longer conversation or extensive documentation.
“While WhatsApp can be used for quick communications, it should not dictate the tempo at which work occurs daily. Rather, more productive communication may result from reducing the pace of communication and going about it more intentionally.”
