WhatsApp rolls out optional parental controls for teen users

WhatsApp announced a suite of optional parental controls aimed at users aged 13 and older. Parents can be notified of a teen's group activity, decide who may see the profile photo, and restrict additions to groups. Additional settings let families manage access to Channels and choose between a default AI assistant mode for users 13+ or a stricter limited-content option.

The controls are activated via a parent-set PIN, which the teen must enter to disable them, and can be changed or turned off at any time. WhatsApp assures that all messages and calls stay protected by end-to-end encryption and are not visible to parents. The move comes as governments push tech firms to improve child-safety features, with the UK planning a ban on under-16 social-media use that excludes messaging apps like WhatsApp.