WhatsApp is rolling out a new update that introduces parental controls for teens, a feature many parents have requested. The upgrade, available from today, gives families with teenagers more tools to manage how the app is used.
What the new controls do
Once the update arrives, parents can choose privacy settings for their teen, such as who can see their child's profile photo or add them to groups. If a teen wants controls relaxed, they will need a parent's approval, which is managed through a PIN set on the device.
Parents will also be notified when their teen joins or leaves a group, or when a group grows significantly in size. They can decide how the teen uses WhatsApp's Channels service, whose Status updates they can see, and who can see theirs.
Privacy and Meta AI options
The feature does not block or read private messages. Even with controls enabled, personal chats and calls remain private and protected by end-to-end encryption, so no one outside the chat, including WhatsApp, can access them.
Parents can also set the Meta AI experience for their teen, choosing between the default 13+ setting and a stricter 'Limited Content' option.
Rollout and future plans
“As teens grow up, so does the way they communicate. Parents have told us they want to be there to guide them without reading over their shoulder,” WhatsApp explained.
“This is just the start. We're building these controls step by step, based on what families tell us they need. All of these controls are being designed to support open conversations about how to use WhatsApp between parents and teens, while keeping everyone’s personal messages private.”
The update is rolling out now, but it may take a few weeks to reach all users.
