WhatsApp Has Launched Accounts for Teenagers (With Parental Controls).
If you have children under 13, they will soon be able to create their own WhatsApp accounts for messaging and calling—but under strict parental control. Users with parent-managed accounts will only be able to message saved contacts, and while teens’ communications will remain end-to-end encrypted and private to parents, supervising adults will receive notifications of certain account activity and will be able to approve or deny requests. According to Meta, this type of account is being rolled out gradually worldwide.
How parental accounts work for young teens
For WhatsApp users under 13, managed accounts are limited to calling and messaging only with saved contacts and groups approved by parents. Built-in parental controls block access to many features of a regular WhatsApp account:
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Meta AI
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Channels
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Status
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Chat blocking
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Blocking the application
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Related devices
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Location sharing
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View messages once
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Disappearing messages in private chats
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Advertising
Only saved contacts can see teenagers’ profile photos and last seen times. Parents must approve changes to privacy settings, as well as message and group invitation requests from unknown contacts; such requests will be placed in a separate folder protected by a parental PIN. Managed accounts cannot create groups on their own.
Parents can also enable notifications for account activity, such as adding, blocking, or reporting a contact; deleting a chat or contact; creating, joining, or leaving a group; and enabling the disappearing messages feature in group chats. Notification settings are located under Settings > Parental Controls in your WhatsApp account—select your child’s account and tap More Options > Manage Notifications .
How to set up a supervised WhatsApp account
To get your teen started using WhatsApp , you’ll need to download the latest version of the app to your child’s device. After selecting the language, tap “More options” > “Create a parent-managed account.” You’ll then be prompted to register and verify your child’s phone number and date of birth to confirm their age, then tap “Continue.” Scan the QR code with your phone and follow the instructions to set up a six-digit parent PIN. Then, return to your child’s device, enter your PIN, and tap ” Continue ” to complete account setup.
Once users turn 13 , they will gain full access to WhatsApp features such as channels, statuses, and Meta AI, and will be able to manage their privacy settings. Parents will no longer receive notifications about account activity, and parental controls will be removed.