WhatsApp has introduced a new feature that allows parents to create and manage supervised accounts for pre-teens, marking a significant step toward improving online safety for younger users. The new system is designed to give parents more control over how children under the age of 13 use the messaging platform, addressing growing concerns around digital safety, cyberbullying, and exposure to harmful content.
With the rollout, parents will be able to link their own WhatsApp accounts with their child’s profile, enabling a supervised environment where key settings and permissions are controlled by adults.
How Parent-Managed Accounts Work
Under the new setup, children will not be able to independently create or operate a full WhatsApp account. Instead, a parent or guardian must first verify and create the account through their own device. Once connected, the parent gains access to management tools that allow them to control privacy settings, contact permissions, and usage limits.
Parents can review contact lists, approve new connections, and set boundaries for how their child interacts with others on the platform. The feature also introduces safeguards such as restricted messaging from unknown numbers and limits on group invitations.
Growing Pressure for Child Safety Online
The launch comes as technology companies face increased scrutiny from regulators and advocacy groups regarding the safety of minors on social media and messaging platforms. Governments around the world have pushed for stricter safeguards, including age verification systems and stronger parental controls.
Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, has previously introduced safety tools across its apps, but the new supervised account system specifically targets younger users who may be using smartphones earlier than ever before.
Balancing Privacy and Protection
While WhatsApp maintains its core end-to-end encryption for messages, the company says the parental management system focuses on account-level controls rather than message monitoring. This means parents will manage who their children can communicate with and how the app is used, without directly accessing message content.
The approach aims to balance privacy principles with the need to provide families with tools to guide children’s digital behavior.
Gradual Rollout and Future Improvements
WhatsApp plans to roll out the supervised account feature gradually across different regions. The company has indicated that additional controls and educational resources for parents may be introduced in future updates.