WhatsApp Rolls Out Parent-Linked Accounts For Under-13s: How Does It Work?
· Free Press Journal
WhatsApp has launched parent-managed accounts for pre-teens, allowing children under 13 to use the messaging platform under direct parental supervision for the first time. The feature was a built in response to feedback from parents who said they wanted to introduce their pre-teens to WhatsApp and needed an experience tailored for under-13s. The announcement also comes as countries including Denmark, Germany, Spain, and the UK are moving to restrict social media access for users under a certain age.
How it works
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Setting up a parent-managed account requires both the parent's and the child's devices to be present at the same time. The parent must register and verify the child's phone number, confirm the child's age, and scan a QR code on the child's device to link the two accounts. The parent can also set a 6-digit PIN, ensuring that only they can access and change message requests, privacy settings, and activity alerts from the managed device.
What do these pre-teen accounts restrict?
Managed accounts will only have access to messaging and calling, and won't be targeted with any ads. They won't get access to features like Meta AI, Channels, or Status, and can't turn on disappearing messages for 1:1 chats. Critically, parents will not be able to see the content of messages on their child's account - all messages remain end-to-end encrypted.
By default, parents receive an alert when pre-teens add, block, or report a contact. Images from unknown contacts are automatically blurred, and pre-teens can silence calls from unknown numbers.
Rollout Timeline
The feature will roll out in select geographies over the coming months. Accounts stay linked until a child's 13th birthday, after which parents have the option to delay unlinking by up to 12 months.