WhatsApp to introduce parental supervision tools for teenagers

Meta is preparing to introduce new parental supervision tools for WhatsApp, specifically designed for users aged 13 and older. The feature aims to provide parents with increased management capabilities over their children's accounts without compromising the privacy of individual conversations.

To activate the supervision, a shared procedure is required between the parent and the adolescent, such as scanning a QR code between two smartphones. This ensures the connection is an explicit, shared choice rather than a hidden monitoring tool. Once configured, parents can manage certain account settings directly from their own WhatsApp app.

Crucially, the system does not grant access to private content. Parents will be unable to read personal messages, listen to calls, or enter group chats. While parents may receive notifications regarding certain activities, such as a child joining a new group, the actual content of communications remains protected by encryption and remains inaccessible to the supervising adult.