WhatsApp gives parents new controls over teens — but they can't read their messages

WhatsApp has introduced new parental controls to give families more oversight over how teenagers use the messaging app. These controls include privacy settings, group management, and Meta AI restrictions. Parents can set a PIN to establish the level of oversight they desire and receive alerts about their teenager's activity. However, parents will not have access to their teen's private conversations due to end-to-end encryption.

The controls allow parents to set restrictions on who can view their teenager's profile photo, join or leave groups, and view or receive Status updates. They can also choose between a standard Meta AI experience or a more restrictive option. The controls use a parent-set PIN and can be adjusted or turned off as needed. This new feature is separate from the parent-managed accounts for pre-teens and targets teenagers who have access to WhatsApp's broader range of features but whose parents want additional oversight.