Can I add someone on WhatsApp without a phone number?

Huge changes are coming to WhatsApp, which is portion of the American multinational institution Meta.

In a question of changes, users volition person a full new mode to adhd friends connected the messaging level successful the update and volition adjacent beryllium capable to person messages from different platforms, but there's a large catch.

A caller mode of connecting

One of the caller changes is that users volition beryllium capable to person messages from different apps, including Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and iMessage.

There volition beryllium an enactment disposable to toggle this diagnostic disconnected though, if radical privation to support things simpler.

Another alteration is that users volition beryllium besides capable to adhd friends by utilizing their usernames successful a crippled changing shift.

Previously WhatsApp users person lone been capable to adhd friends done their telephone numbers.

The lone different enactment disposable was utilizing the app's QR codification feature.

A large catch

However, the quality to person messages from different apps volition lone beryllium disposable successful the European Union due to the fact that of the EU's Digital Marketing Act (DMA).

One of the laws contained successful the DMA bans "gatekeeper services", which volition unit apps to capable to judge messages from different platforms.

However, owed to differences successful UK law, WhatsApp won't beryllium required to connection this aforesaid quality successful Britain.

Brits volition beryllium capable to usage the different caller relation though, which volition let them to adhd friends done their usernames.

That peculiar diagnostic is expected to beryllium rolled retired "over the coming weeks".

A agelong wait

The cross-platform feature is lone successful its beta-testing signifier which means EU users volition person to hold to usage this capability.

Cross-platform capabilities person been successful improvement astatine WhatsApp for 2 years, but questions are being asked astir however the caller capabilities volition enactment with WhatsApps encryption software.

WhatsApp has end-to-end encryption which makes it highly hard for hackers to construe conversations betwixt users.

A 3rd enactment level whitethorn not needfully person this encryption.

That has raised eyebrows, due to the fact that immoderate radical consciousness that it mightiness marque conversations much susceptible to hacking.

Dick Brouwer, engineering manager astatine WhatsApp, told Wired: “There’s existent hostility betwixt offering an casual mode to connection this interoperability to 3rd parties whilst astatine the aforesaid clip preserving the WhatsApp privacy, security, and integrity bar."

The EU maintains that the caller laws volition guarantee marketplace fairness and reason that the caller laws assistance make caller competition.