India’s DPDP Act prompts Meta to test WhatsApp age verification

India is implementing the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, and accompanying 2025 rules to regulate how organizations collect, process, and store digital personal data. The framework centers on informed and unambiguous consent and imposes strict obligations on Data Fiduciaries regarding security, breach reporting, and data accuracy. Significant penalties for non-compliance can reach ₹250 crore.

In response to these upcoming regulations, Meta is testing privacy-protective age-confirmation methods on WhatsApp. While the law does not explicitly mandate the collection of dates of birth, platforms must distinguish between adults and children. Current trials involve self-declaration, but draft implementation rules suggest that social media platforms may eventually be required to utilize India’s Aadhaar-linked biometric identity infrastructure for more reliable age assurance.