WhatsApp introduces optional parental controls for teenagers

WhatsApp has introduced new optional parental controls allowing parents to oversee teenagers’ activity on the messaging platform, as technology companies face growing pressure to strengthen online safety for children.

Announced on September 30, 2026, the new tools allow parents to receive notifications when their teenagers join or leave groups, manage privacy settings and restrict access to certain features, including Meta AI.

Under the new system, parents can decide who is allowed to view their teenager’s profile picture, add them to groups and access their Status updates.

They can also manage how teenagers use Channels, which allow organisations and public figures to share content with followers.

Parents can select between the standard Meta AI experience for users aged 13 and above and a stricter option called “Limited Content”, which restricts the topics teenagers can discuss with the artificial intelligence assistant.

The controls are protected by a personal identification number (PIN) set by a parent or guardian.

Teenagers who want to relax certain privacy restrictions must obtain parental approval.

However, the controls are optional, and parents can change or disable them at any time.

WhatsApp has emphasised that the new measures will not give parents access to their teenagers’ private conversations.

Messages and calls will remain protected by end-to-end encryption, which prevents outsiders, including WhatsApp itself, from reading messages or listening to calls.

The company says the tools are intended to help families discuss online safety while respecting teenagers’ privacy and growing independence.

However, the voluntary nature of the controls has raised questions about their effectiveness.

Social media analyst Matt Navarra described the approach as an “obvious weakness”, arguing that it places some responsibility for protecting young users on parents and teenagers rather than relying solely on technology companies.

Navarra also questioned whether enough families would use the new features to make a meaningful difference.

The announcement comes amid increasing regulatory scrutiny of technology companies over children’s online safety.

In the United Kingdom, the government has outlined plans to restrict under-16s from using certain social media platforms, with implementation expected in spring 2027.

However, messaging services such as WhatsApp and Signal are not currently intended to fall under the proposed social media ban, according to the UK government.

WhatsApp’s new controls are being rolled out gradually and may not yet be available in every country.

The company has also introduced separate parent-managed accounts for pre-teens, allowing families to limit younger children’s accounts primarily to messaging and calls.