Just last month, we got to know that WhatsApp is working on parental controls for pre-teen accounts. Well, WhatsApp has finally introduced a new parent-managed accounts system aimed at improving safety for younger users on the platform.
WhatsApp Parental Controls: How Does It Work?
With WhatsApp parent-managed accounts, guardians can set up and control a child's WhatsApp account directly from their own device. During the setup process, the parent's phone and the child's phone must be placed side by side to link the accounts.
Once connected, parents can decide who is allowed to message the child, manage group participation and review message requests sent by unknown contacts. Additionally, they can also adjust privacy settings to ensure a more controlled messaging experience.
The new WhatsApp parent-managed accounts come with strict default safety settings and are primarily focused on messaging and calling. Several features available in regular WhatsApp accounts, such as Status updates, Channels and Meta AI, are disabled for these supervised accounts to reduce potential exposure to strangers or unwanted content.
WhatsApp says the feature was developed after hearing from parents who wanted a messaging solution for children under 13. As per the company, the goal is to help families guide pre-teens through their first messaging experiences while maintaining WhatsApp's privacy protections, such as end-to-end encryption.
Parents can also monitor certain account activities and manage message requests that appear in a dedicated folder protected by a parental PIN by tapping on the profile icon -> Parental controls -> tap on a managed account.
However, WhatsApp clarified that parents cannot read their child's private messages, preserving the core privacy model of the platform.
The new WhatsApp parental controls are rolling out gradually across regions and will expand to more users over the coming months. As children grow older, their WhatsApp parent-managed accounts can transition into standard accounts, though parents will have options to delay that transition if needed.
Overall, the introduction of parent-managed accounts on WhatsApp is an important step toward improving child safety on the platform, especially at a time when there's increasing scrutiny over how digital platforms protect younger users online.
