WhatsApp is trialling an optional age-verification prompt for limited Indian users as part of its efforts to comply with emerging data protection laws, with privacy-preserving measures in place amid increased regulatory scrutiny.
WhatsApp has started testing an optional age-verification prompt for a limited group of users in India, asking some people to provide their date of birth as the company prepares for tighter compliance under the country’s Digital Personal Data Protection framework. The pilot is not mandatory, and users who are included in the test can still continue using the app without submitting that information.
According to WhatsApp, the company is looking at privacy-preserving ways to check users’ ages and says any date-of-birth details entered during the trial will stay private. The move reflects a broader effort by digital platforms to identify children and apply the additional safeguards required when processing minors’ personal data under India’s emerging data protection regime.
The test comes at a sensitive moment for Meta’s messaging business in India, where regulators have increased scrutiny of features that could affect safety and traceability. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has asked WhatsApp to hold back its proposed username feature, citing concerns that allowing communication without displaying mobile numbers could make impersonation, fraud and other cybercrime harder to investigate.
WhatsApp is also working on other India-specific compliance measures. Technology reports say the company has begun testing SIM-binding, which would keep accounts tied to active Indian SIM cards in line with telecom security rules. At the same time, WhatsApp has rolled out parent-managed accounts for children under 13 in phases, giving guardians control over contacts and settings while keeping messages protected by end-to-end encryption. Together, the changes show how the platform is adjusting its product design to meet India’s rules on child safety, identity verification and online fraud.
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