On September 22, X launched X Numbers, private eight-digit codes allowing users to message or call others on XChat without sharing phone numbers, even if accounts do not follow each other. Unlike WhatsApp's usernames feature, which drew a government notice within two days of its July 1 announcement, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has not issued a similar directive against X, according to medianama.com.
X Numbers enable anyone who enters a user's enabled code to message or call them, bypassing closed inboxes and skipping message requests, with messages landing directly in the main inbox. Users are warned to share their X Numbers only with trusted contacts. The feature also allows users to refresh or disable their X Number and control visibility settings, including hiding the number from others. X's help page details these functionalities, highlighting privacy controls available to users.
The government had directed WhatsApp not to roll out usernames in India, citing concerns that the feature could increase online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams, and impersonation attacks. However, no public report indicates MeitY has taken similar action against X Numbers, despite the feature's comparable ability to facilitate contact without phone numbers. This contrast underscores differing regulatory responses to similar features from major platforms in India.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's July 1 order to WhatsApp remains the only publicly known government intervention related to username-like features in messaging apps, as of early October 2026, according to medianama.com.