WhatsApp tests age check in India; here's what it means for users

WhatsApp is testing optional age confirmation prompts for users in India ahead of new legal requirements. The move reflects tighter child data safeguards under the DPDP regime even as the platform faces separate scrutiny over usernames. The company said the test is optional, users do not need to confirm their age to continue using WhatsApp, and their age information will remain private.WhatsApp is testing a new way for users in India to confirm their age, with the Meta-owned messaging platform preparing for upcoming legal requirements around personal data and children's online safety.The test is optional and users do not need to confirm their age to continue using WhatsApp, the company said on Tuesday. It also assured users that their age information will remain private.The move comes amid growing discussion around possible age-verification requirements in India and the implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP). Users recently shared screenshots on X showing a WhatsApp prompt asking them to enter their date of birth.The prompt carries the message: “upcoming laws in India require us to ask for your age”. Responding to a PTI query, a WhatsApp spokesperson said, “To comply with upcoming laws in India like the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP), we are testing privacy-protective ways for people to confirm their age. This doesn't change how WhatsApp works or your experience.”IT Secretary S Krishnan also linked the development to the DPDP Act, while cautioning that the government would need to verify the company's reasoning. “This might be from the context of DPDP Act, where it is (provisions are) age-related,” Krishnan said. “But we will have to check with them... because we are approaching the deadline...”WHAT INDIA'S DATA LAW SAYS ABOUT CHILDRENThe Digital Personal Data Protection Act sets rules for processing digital personal data while seeking to balance an individual's right to protect their personal information with the need for lawful data processing.The Act and related rules contain specific safeguards for children's data. A child is defined as a person below 18 years of age.Once the provisions are fully implemented, platforms will have to obtain verifiable consent from a child's parent or lawful guardian before processing the child's personal data. They will also have to put in place appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure that such consent is authentic.The rules prohibit activities that could harm children or exploit their data. They also bar tracking or behavioural monitoring of children and targeted advertising aimed at them.Companies that fail to comply with obligations concerning children's data could face significant financial penalties.WHY WHATSAPP MAY BE TESTING AGE CHECKS NOWExperts believe platforms could begin collecting age-related information ahead of the enforcement deadline so their systems can be developed, tested and verified in time.The specific requirements for verifiable parental consent under Rule 10 are scheduled to come into force in May 2027. The early testing could therefore allow platforms to prepare their systems before the rules become enforceable.USERNAME FEATURE ALSO UNDER GOVERNMENT SCRUTINYWhatsApp is facing another regulatory issue in India over its proposed username feature, which would allow users to communicate without revealing their phone numbers.Krishnan said the issue extends beyond WhatsApp and concerns messaging platforms more broadly. He said the government would have to consider both the risk of impersonation linked to usernames and privacy concerns.Asked whether the IT ministry was considering common standards for all messaging platforms, Krishnan said, “We are looking at what they had to say, the feedback that they've given, and we will take a final call.”Last month, the government issued a notice to WhatsApp over the proposed username feature, warning that it could increase the risk of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks.The ministry directed WhatsApp not to launch the feature until consultations were completed “to the satisfaction of the government”. It also asked Meta to explain why action should not be initiated under the IT Act and rules and reminded the company that WhatsApp, as a significant social media intermediary, is required to meet due diligence obligations.WhatsApp has since responded to the notice and said it will not roll out the username feature in India until discussions with the government are completed.The IT ministry also sent notices to Telegram and Signal over their existing username features, seeking information on how the platforms were addressing concerns around fraud and impersonation.With around 50 crore users in India, WhatsApp is now under scrutiny on two fronts — preparations for age-related data compliance and the government's concerns over its proposed username feature.- EndsWith inputs from PTIPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 4, 2026 23:01 IST