WhatsApp launches optional parental controls for teens without message access

WhatsApp is introducing new parental settings for teenagers. Parents will be able to receive alerts when their child joins or leaves a group and adjust selected privacy options.

The controls are optional. WhatsApp says they can be set up or switched off at any time using a PIN created by a parent.

Messages remain private

Parents will not be given access to a teenager’s messages or calls, which WhatsApp says will remain protected by end-to-end encryption.

The available settings include choosing who can see a child’s profile photo and who can add them to groups. Parents can also decide how their teenager uses Channels, where organisations and public figures distribute content.

For Meta AI, the app’s built-in assistant, parents can keep the default 13+ setting or select the stricter “Limited Content” option.

Analyst questions voluntary format

Social media analyst Matt Navarra called the optional nature of the controls an “obvious weakness”. He also said the move could reduce Meta’s reliance on age verification by placing some responsibility on parents and teenagers.

The minimum age for WhatsApp in the UK is 13, although it is higher in some countries. The service is currently excluded from the UK’s planned ban on social media use by under-16s, which is expected to take effect in March 2027.