WhatsApp has announced new parental control tools designed to give parents greater control over their children’s accounts while creating a safer and more age-appropriate experience for younger users.
Under the new features, parents will have additional options to monitor certain account activities. For example, they can receive notifications when their child joins or leaves a WhatsApp group.
Parents will also be able to manage certain data-related preferences associated with their children’s accounts and control some automatic settings. A PIN protection option will help prevent children from changing settings configured by their parents.
The new controls will also allow parents to decide whether their children can access WhatsApp Channels. In addition, parents will be able to adjust settings related to Meta AI features available to younger users according to their preferences.
WhatsApp has emphasized that the new safety measures do not give parents access to their children’s private conversations. Parents will not be able to read messages sent or received by their children.
According to the company, children’s chats and calls will remain private and continue to be protected by end-to-end encryption.