WhatsApp now lets parents approve teen privacy changes with a PIN.
Parents can stay with the default 13+ experience or move their teen to a stricter “Limited Content” option. WhatsApp is introducing parental controls for teenagers, giving parents a say in who can see their child’s profile photo, who can add them to groups, and how they use Meta AI, Channels and Status. The tools are optional and are meant to be set up by parents and teens together, with a single parent-set PIN locking the settings in place. If a teen wants to relax any of them later, they will need that PIN. Meta AI gets its own setting too.
WhatsApp has not shared a country-wise timeline, so users in India will need to keep the app updated and watch for the option. The controls sit under what WhatsApp calls parent-managed accounts, which are rolling out gradually and may not be available in every region yet. The company describes this as a first step, with more controls to be added based on feedback from families. The move follows Meta’s teen accounts on Instagram and Facebook. The difference here is that WhatsApp is trying to give parents oversight without breaking the encryption the app is built on.