Meta Will Let Kids Under 13 Use Whatsapp With Parent-managed Accounts

Meta has announced that it’s introducing parent-managed accounts connected WhatsApp. Designed to let young group nether nan property of 13 to usage nan messaging level much safely, these accounts characteristic caller controls that alteration a genitor aliases guardian to restrict who tin nonstop them messages. Parent-managed accounts tin besides only beryllium utilized for messaging and calling, truthful further features for illustration Channels, location sharing and Meta AI integration aren’t included.

To group up an account, you’ll request to put your telephone adjacent to nan pre-teen’s instrumentality to nexus nan 2 accounts. Once that’s done, nan personification managing nan kids’ relationship tin determine who’s capable to interaction them and which groups they’re capable to join. Step-by-step instructions connected really to activate nan caller accounts tin beryllium recovered here.

They’ll besides spot connection requests from chartless contacts first and tin set privateness settings from nan managed device. Parent-managed accounts are PIN-protected and only nan genitor aliases guardian tin make changes to privateness settings.

Like each WhatsApp conversations, end-to-end encryption intends cipher other tin spot messages exchanged connected parent-managed accounts. By default, only saved contacts tin connection a managed account, and a kid won’t beryllium capable to subordinate a group aliases position group invites from strangers earlier they’re separately approved by nan proprietor of nan genitor account. These requests will look arsenic notifications to nan parent.

WhatsApp doesn’t specify a minimum property suitable for a parent-messaged account, but says it’ll rotation nan caller features retired gradually successful nan coming months.

Meta has spent nan past fewer years ramping up its parental controls features crossed its various platforms. In September it introduced teen accounts — aimed astatine teens betwixt nan property of 13 and 15 — for Facebook and Messenger. A twelvemonth earlier, Under-16 teen accounts became a request connected Instagram. Like nan caller parent-managed accounts connected WhatsApp, these let parents to vet requests and alteration stricter privateness settings.

At nan commencement of 2026, Meta put a impermanent pause connected allowing teens to interact pinch its AI chatbot characters, pursuing reports that immoderate of these bots had engaged successful intersexual conversations and different concerning interactions pinch minors.