WhatsApp rolls out parent-managed accounts for children under 13
By introducing this model, WhatsApp is catering to families who want a supervised way to introduce younger children to digital communication
Meta-owned WhatsApp has unveiled a new "parent-managed" account model, officially opening the messaging platform to pre-teens under guardian oversight.
The move marks a strategic shift for the messaging app, which has traditionally maintained a minimum age requirement of 13 or higher in some regions.
By introducing this model, WhatsApp is catering to families who want a supervised way to introduce younger children to digital communication.
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"With input from families and experts, we're rolling out new parent-managed accounts that allow parents or guardians to set up WhatsApp for pre-teens, with new controls to limit their experience to messaging and calling," WhatsApp stated in a blog post on 11 March.
Under this new system, parents can manage their child's contact list and review message requests from unknown contacts.
However, the company clarified that the actual content of the messages will remain protected by end-to-end encryption, ensuring that WhatsApp cannot read the private conversations.
The new parental controls are secured by a six-digit parent PIN on the managed device.
Only the guardian will have the authority to change privacy settings or authorise new group invitations.
The feature is currently being rolled out in phases globally.
