WhatsApp Is Developing 'Primary Controls' for Linked Parent–Child Accounts
Reports indicate the feature remains in development without beta access or a rollout timeline.
Overview
- Leaked materials from WABetaInfo describe a system that links a primary account to a secondary account to enable parental oversight.
- Parents would be able to change the child account’s privacy settings, including last seen, online status, profile photo, About, and read receipts.
- Controls reportedly restrict who can contact the child and can block additions to unknown group chats, with calls and messages limited to saved contacts in some scenarios.
- Message and call content would stay end-to-end encrypted, with parents seeing activity and settings information rather than conversation content.
- Android beta version 2.26.1.30 contains references to the feature per WABetaInfo, though WhatsApp has not announced it and availability remains unconfirmed.