WhatsApp introduces optional parental controls for teenagers
Summary
WhatsApp is adding optional parental controls for teenagers to give parents more say over their child's account settings, like who can see their profile or add them to groups. These controls do not let parents read messages or listen to calls, as privacy is protected by encryption.Key Facts
- Parents can get notifications when their teen joins or leaves a group on WhatsApp.
- Parents can control who sees their teen’s profile photo and who can add them to groups.
- The controls are optional and can be turned on or off by parents or teens using a PIN.
- Messages and calls remain private with end-to-end encryption, so parents cannot see or hear them.
- Parents can set restrictions on how their teen uses Channels and Meta AI assistant on WhatsApp.
- WhatsApp’s minimum user age is 13 in the UK but can be higher in other countries.
- The new controls aim to support conversations between parents and teens about using WhatsApp responsibly.
- The UK government plans to ban social media use by under-16s starting in March 2027, but WhatsApp is exempt as it is seen as a messaging service.
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