WhatsApp is introducing optional parental controls designed to give parents more oversight of how their teens use the messaging platform, without giving them access to private messages or calls.
Parents will be able to choose privacy settings for their teen, including who can see their profile photo and who can add them to groups.
If a teen wants to change those settings, they will need parental approval using a PIN set by the parent.
Parents will also receive notifications when their teen joins or leaves a group, or when a group they belong to grows significantly.
The controls also cover WhatsApp Channels and Status updates. Parents can decide how their teen uses Channels, whose Status updates they can see and who can see their own.
Parents will also be able to choose between WhatsApp’s default 13+ Meta AI setting and a stricter Limited Content option.
The controls are optional and can be adjusted or switched off at any time. They are designed to give parents more visibility while keeping private conversations private.
WhatsApp says personal messages and calls remain protected by end-to-end encryption, meaning they cannot be accessed by parents, WhatsApp or anyone outside the chat.
The new controls are being introduced gradually, with more features expected to be added based on feedback from families.
More information can be found on the Hep Centre.
Recharged is an independent site that focuses on technology, electric vehicles, and the digital life by Nafisa Akabor. Drawing from her 19-year tech journalism career, expect news, reviews, how-tos, comparisons, and practical uses of tech that are easy to digest. Nafisa is a traveller at heart, having been to 46 countries and counting. Find her edutainment videos covering tech, EVs and travel on TikTok.
