Meta has lowered the minimum age for using popular messaging platform WhatsApp.
The move, which comes into effect on Thursday, lowers the age limit from 16 to 13 in the UK and EU.
It has been criticized by some campaign groups, who have urged the company to reverse the decision.
Smartphone Free Childhood told Sky News it was an example of “tech giants putting shareholder profits first and children’s safety second”.
A spokesman for the organization said: “Lowering the age from 16 to 13 sends a message to parents: WhatsApp Safe for children, but the stories we hear from the parent community paint a very different picture. “
Conservative MP Vicky Ford, a member of the education select committee, said Mehta’s decision to lower the age recommendation without consulting parents was “grossly irresponsible”.
Yuan Defending the move, a spokesman said: “We give all users the option to control who can add them to groups, and when you first receive a message from an unknown number, we You are given the option to block and report this account.”
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However, Smartphone Free Childhood questioned the effectiveness of WhatsApp’s security features and said the app, like other social media platforms, could cause disruption to students in schools.
They also raised concerns about young people having “unrestricted access to the internet in their pockets” and the wider impact this could have on mental health, social lives and development.
WhatsApp already has a number of safety and security features, including user access only to those who know your number, and control over profile visibility.
It said the move brings the age limit in line with most countries.
Other popular social media platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) also use 13 as a minimum age.
This week, Meta also launched a series of new safety features aimed at protecting users, especially young people, from the abuse of intimate images and “sextortion.”
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It confirmed it would start testing a filter in direct messages called “nudity protection” that would be turned on by default for people under 18.
The tool will automatically blur images believed to contain nudity, and users will also see a message urging them not to feel pressured to respond, as well as options to block the sender and report the chat.
Some recent studies have shown that parents are concerned about social media and smartphone use.
A recent poll by charity Parentkind found that more than four in five parents (83%) say they believe smartphones are “harmful” to children and teenagers, and 58% think the government should ban smartphone use by minors . 16 seconds.
In February this year, the Ministry of Education issued guidance for teachers on how to completely ban the use of mobile phones in schools.
Daniel Cobede, chairman of the National Education Union, the UK’s largest education union, has called for a government inquiry into “dangerous” online content that young people can access via smartphones.
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