WhatsApp is set to introduce a new update aimed at providing reassurance to parents. This upcoming feature will empower adults to customize controls on devices, preventing young users from accessing certain functions or participating in group chats without authorization.

Furthermore, parents or guardians will have the ability to determine who can reach the account, thus averting unsolicited messages from strangers. They can also manage the account’s privacy settings and review message requests from unknown 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 insights from families and experts, they are launching parent-managed accounts tailored for pre-teens, offering controls to restrict their WhatsApp usage to messaging and calling.

To initiate the setup process, parents will need both the family member’s phone and their own device to link the accounts. Once established, these accounts will be under the control of the parent or guardian, granting exclusive access to privacy settings adjustments.

All personal conversations will remain safeguarded with end-to-end encryption, ensuring utmost privacy as even WhatsApp cannot access or monitor them. The update will be gradually rolled out in the following months to integrate parent-managed accounts, with WhatsApp seeking feedback to enhance the platform’s safety for family connections.