WhatsApp introduces optional parental controls for teenagers

WhatsApp is rolling out optional parental controls for teens, letting parents see when their child joins or leaves a group and adjust privacy settings via a PIN. Messages and calls remain private under end-to-end encryption and are not visible to parents.

• Parents get notified when a teen joins or leaves a group
• Privacy and Meta AI settings are managed via a parent-set PIN
• Messages and calls stay end-to-end encrypted and hidden from parents
• WhatsApp's minimum age in the UK is 13; an under-16 social media ban is expected in March 2027