WhatsApp is reportedly developing a new feature that could allow parents to control how minors interact on the platform through linked secondary accounts.
According to WhatsApp feature tracker WABetaInfo, the Meta-owned messaging service is working on parental controls designed specifically for users under the age of 18.
The feature, which is still under development, may appear differently across regions in the latest Android beta version. It introduces secondary accounts meant for minors and teenagers, which can be linked to a primary account owned by a parent or guardian through a dedicated connection link.
These secondary accounts are said to come with limited functionality by default.
Minors would only be able to send messages or make calls to contacts saved on their device, and they would only receive messages and calls from those saved contacts.
Parents would also be able to manage privacy settings such as who can view the minor’s profile picture, last seen status, About information, and read receipts.
Group interactions would also be restricted, as only saved contacts would be able to add the minor to groups when default settings are enabled. In addition, the parent account is expected to receive regular activity updates from the secondary account, though the exact details of what information will be shared remain unclear.
While parents may gain visibility into activity updates, they will not be able to see chat lists, messages, call logs, or call conversations. If implemented, the feature appears aimed at balancing parental oversight with user privacy, while creating a safer experience for underage WhatsApp users.