WhatsApp is set to introduce a significant update aimed at providing reassurance to parents. The forthcoming change will empower adults to implement specific controls on devices, preventing pre-teens from accessing certain features or participating in group chats without authorization.
Furthermore, parents or guardians will have the ability to select who can reach the account to prevent strangers from initiating contact. They can also manage the account’s privacy settings and review message requests from unfamiliar contacts.
According to WhatsApp, the platform is a trusted means of family communication due to its simplicity, privacy, and reliability. The company stated that, with feedback from families and experts, they are launching new parent-managed accounts that enable parents or guardians to establish WhatsApp for pre-teens, incorporating controls to restrict their usage to messaging and calling functions.
The process involves linking accounts by having the parent’s device and the family member’s phone side by side. Once set up, the accounts are under the control of the parent or guardian, who exclusively can access and modify privacy settings to tailor the family’s experience.
All personal conversations are safeguarded by end-to-end encryption, ensuring their privacy. WhatsApp has indicated that the update will be gradually rolled out in the following months, emphasizing the importance of feedback to enhance safety and privacy for family connections.