WhatsApp has never offered parental controls. For years, parents had to rely on device-level restrictions or just hope their kids stayed safe on the world’s most popular messaging app.
That’s changing. According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is testing a tiered account system in its Android beta (version 2.26.1.30) that lets users create supervised secondary accounts with built-in restrictions.
Here’s the reality: WhatsApp requires users to be 13 or older, but kids bypass that by lying about their age. It happens constantly. So instead of pretending minors aren’t on the platform, WhatsApp is finally building something to help parents manage it.
How It Works
The system creates two account types: Primary and Secondary. Parents hold the Primary account and can set up a Secondary account with preset limitations.
Secondary accounts get restricted visibility—only contacts see profile photos, online status stays hidden, and read receipts are off. Communication is limited to contacts only, and strangers can’t message or add them to groups.
Primary account holders get activity updates and can adjust privacy settings remotely through “Primary Controls.” It’s not full surveillance—messages stay encrypted—but it creates guardrails.
Why It Matters
Other messaging platforms have had parental tools for years. WhatsApp hasn’t, largely because of its encryption stance and design philosophy. But ignoring the issue wasn’t sustainable.
This feature isn’t officially labeled as parent-child supervision, but that’s clearly the main use case. It won’t satisfy everyone, but it’s a middle ground for parents stuck between banning WhatsApp entirely or giving kids unchecked access.
Source: WABetaInfo
