WhatsApp, widely used by both adults and teenagers, has become a staple in daily communication. However, its widespread use has long raised concerns among parents about the dangers of unknown contacts, the increasing number of scams, and various other inappropriate behaviors.

Until now, the platform had offered few tools specifically designed for the supervised use by minors. Meta is now looking to address this issue amidst growing threats of social media bans, including those being considered in France.

Secondary Accounts to Monitor Young Users’ Interactions

According to details from WABetaInfo in a recent Android app beta version, WhatsApp is developing a parental control system called “secondary account.” This system involves creating a profile for a minor that is directly linked to the main account of a parent or legal guardian.

The two accounts would remain separate, each with its own phone number and conversations, but connected through a supervisory relationship. The holder of the main account would be able to set specific usage boundaries without completely taking over the secondary user’s account.

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Meta could offer a balance between protection and independence, allowing children to communicate with their close contacts within a controlled environment.

Limited Features with Encryption Intact

Specifically, the secondary account would face various restrictions that can be configured by the parent. The minor would only be able to communicate with pre-approved contacts, and messages, calls, or invitations from unknown individuals would be automatically blocked.

Adding to groups would adhere to the same principle, where only approved contacts could invite the secondary account to join a group chat. This is a measure designed to curb the spread of problematic content that is often circulated through public or semi-private groups.

The privacy settings would also be enhanced. For instance, the profile information of the secondary account would remain hidden to those outside the contact list, and certain features like read receipts could even be turned off by default.

However, Meta appears committed to ensuring that the contents of the conversations remain inaccessible to the parent. Thus, the chats would maintain end-to-end encryption, ensuring that neither WhatsApp nor the main account holder could read the messages. Supervision would focus on interactions and settings, rather than the conversations themselves.