NEW YORK: WhatsApp has introduced a new feature for children under the age of 13 called Parent Managed Account, through which Parents will be able to control their children’s WhatsApp accounts.
According to a statement issued by the company, only messaging and calling features will be available to children in Parent Managed Accounts.
This feature aims to ensure the online safety of children under the age of 13. The company said that strict settings will be applied by default in these accounts, and parents will have various controls.
For example, parents will be able to decide who can contact their children, which groups they can join, and which privacy settings they can adjust.
WhatsApp said that children’s conversations with other people will be protected by end-to-end encryption. Children’s accounts will not have access to features like Meta AI, channels, or status.
These accounts will require a parent’s device and a child’s device. Both accounts will be linked with a QR code, and once connected, parents will be able to control their children’s accounts.
When the child turns 13, parents will be notified via notification that they can convert the managed account to a standard account. According to the company, this feature will be available to all users in the coming months.
