A separate version of WhatsApp is ready for children, many features will not be available, how to setup it?

WhatsApp has now brought a special version for children and pre-teens. This step has been taken amid growing concerns regarding the safety of children on the Internet. The company’s parent company Meta will allow children to use the messaging app through this new feature, but it will also have strict parental controls.

In this special kids version, many such features which are present in normal WhatsApp will be removed. Its purpose is to ensure that children can use the app safely and avoid possible misuse of social media.

Nowadays, restrictions are being imposed on social media apps for children in many countries because parents fear that children may misuse online platforms. Especially in an app like WhatsApp, one can connect with anyone just through their phone number.

Apart from this, online addiction has also become a big concern, hence the need is being felt to make the apps more secure and controlled.

How to set up WhatsApp for children under 13 years of age?

Parental control will be necessary to use the kids version of WhatsApp. The process of setting it up is also said to be quite easy.

Follow these steps to setup:

1. Keep the parent and child’s phone together.
2. Scan the QR code visible on WhatsApp running on the child’s phone.
3. After this both the devices will be linked.
4. Once the device is linked, the real control will be in the hands of the parents. They will be able to monitor the activities of children’s accounts and change privacy settings as per need.

Parents will also be able to decide whether

• Who can chat with the child
• Which group can the child join
• More privacy for children

Many features will not be available in the kids version of WhatsApp, so that the safety of children is maintained.

For example in this:

1. Channels will not feature
2. Status will not update
3. Disappearing chats option will not be available
4. There will be no facility to send view-once photos.

WhatsApp says that except those of parents, all messages will be secure with end-to-end encryption. However, some legal challenges have also emerged in America regarding this encryption system.

Apart from this, there will also be an age limit system in the children’s account. When the child reaches the prescribed age, he will get a notification that he can change his account to a normal WhatsApp profile, which will not have parental controls.