Overview
- WhatsApp confirmed Tuesday that it is running a limited test in India that asks some users to provide date of birth as an optional way to confirm age.
- The company said the prompt is voluntary, will not change how the app works, and that age information will not be visible to other WhatsApp users.
- India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act treats anyone under 18 as a child and will require verifiable parental consent before processing children’s data when main provisions take effect on May 13, 2027, and it bans tracking or targeted ads directed at children with penalties up to Rs. 250 crore.
- The move comes as the Indian government has already intervened on WhatsApp’s proposed username feature, sent notices to WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal about impersonation risks, and increased regulatory scrutiny of Meta after recent content‑moderation controversies.
- Some users have separately reported temporary ‘account in review’ notices, a sign that platforms face short‑term operational friction as they test verification tools and adapt systems ahead of the DPDP timelines.