WhatsApp Adds New Parental Controls for Teenagers

WhatsApp has rolled out a new set of optional parental controls aimed at giving parents greater oversight of their teenagers' accounts on the messaging platform. The move adds WhatsApp to a growing list of tech companies introducing tools to address concerns about online safety for young users.

Under the new system, parents can create a parent-managed account linked to their teen's profile, allowing them to view and adjust certain settings. These include options related to who can contact the teenager and other privacy-related controls, according to the company.

Crucially, the feature is entirely optional, meaning families can decide for themselves whether to activate it. This approach reflects WhatsApp's attempt to balance teen autonomy with the demand from parents for more supervision tools.

WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, is one of the world's most widely used messaging apps, with billions of users globally, a significant proportion of whom are teenagers. The introduction of parental oversight tools comes amid mounting pressure from regulators and child-safety advocates, who have pushed tech firms to do more to protect minors from online risks such as unwanted contact or harmful content.

Other major platforms have introduced comparable features in recent years, as scrutiny of how social media companies handle younger audiences has intensified. Governments in several countries have also introduced or proposed legislation requiring stronger protections for children using digital services.

While WhatsApp has not disclosed the full technical details of every setting included in the update, the company has framed the changes as part of a broader commitment to making its platform safer for younger users without entirely removing their independence. Parents who choose to activate the feature will reportedly gain visibility into specific account settings, though the extent of that visibility has not been fully detailed in public statements.

The update is likely to be welcomed by parents seeking more involvement in their children's digital lives, though some may question how much control the tools genuinely offer compared with other platforms. As debate over children's online safety continues, WhatsApp's move signals an industry-wide shift toward giving families more say in how young people use messaging apps.