WhatsApp introduces optional parental controls for teenagers

LOS ANGELES, October 4 /ATSH – AA/ – WhatsApp announced on Wednesday that it is introducing optional parental controls for teenage users, giving parents greater oversight of privacy settings and online interactions without allowing them to read their children’s conversations.

The messaging service said parents will be able to decide who can see a teenager’s profile photo, who can add them to groups and how they use features including Channels and Status.

Parents will receive notifications when their teenager joins or leaves a group, as well as when a group that includes their child grows significantly in size. The controls will be protected by a PIN set by the parent. Teenagers who want to loosen the restricted privacy settings will need parental approval through the PIN.

Parents will also be able to choose how their child uses Meta AI, WhatsApp’s optional artificial intelligence assistant. They can choose between the default setting intended for users aged 13 and over or a stricter option labelled Restricted Content.

Despite the additional controls, parents will not be able to see or hear their teenager’s private messages and calls. ‘Even with the controls enabled, your teenager’s personal messages and calls remain private and protected by end-to-end encryption,’ WhatsApp said in its announcement.

The company said the tools are intended to encourage conversations between parents and teenagers about their use of the platform, while preserving the privacy of personal communications. Parents will be able to adjust or disable the controls at any time.

WhatsApp said participation will be entirely voluntary because different families require different levels of oversight. The optional nature of the system, however, has raised questions about how widely it will be used.

The announcement comes as technology companies face growing pressure from governments and regulators to make their services safer and more age-appropriate for children. The proposed ban is expected to cover services including social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and X, along with stronger requirements for age assurance.