Meta · BBC Technology
WhatsApp launches optional parental controls for teenagers
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WhatsApp is introducing new parental controls for teenagers, as tech companies continue to come under pressure to provide more age-appropriate experiences for children.
Key facts
- And they will have the option of choosing between the default 13+ setting for Meta AI, the app's optional built-in AI assistant, or a stricter "Limited Content" option
- In June, the government announced it plans to ban under-16s from social media platforms, with the restrictions expected to come into force in March 2027
- The minimum age to use WhatsApp is 13 in the UK, although it is higher in some countries
- And it said the controls were optional, which social media analyst Matt Navarra called an "obvious weakness
Summary
The social messaging app's new tools will give parents a range of options, such as being told when their child joins or leaves a group. WhatsApp, clarified parents would not be given the power to see the messages their teen is sending and receiving, which along with calls would stay private and protected by end-to-end encryption. And it said the controls were optional, which social media analyst Matt Navarra called an "obvious weakness". He said the move was "fairly convenient" for Meta, which owns WhatsApp, because it reduced the company's reliance on age verification by putting some responsibility on parents and teenagers.