Audio By Carbonatix
WhatsApp is banning anyone under 16 years old from using its app in Europe. It’s raising the age limit by three years just as the European data privacy rules start kicking in on May 25th, as spotted by Reuters.
When users in Europe log onto the app in the next few weeks, they’ll be asked to confirm their age when accepting the new terms of service and an updated privacy policy.
WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, has a separate data policy of its own. It’s made new changes beyond raising the age limit, including allowing users to download a copy of their data from WhatsApp, which will contain their contacts and any numbers they’ve blocked.
Facebook’s approach to complying with the new rules will instead be to ask teens ages 13 to 15 to gain parental permission for sharing personal information on the platform.
If they don’t get permission, they’ll see a more generic version of Facebook that’s not customized based on their data.
In regions outside of Europe, the minimum age to use WhatsApp is still 13.
Europe’s GDPR will force companies to follow users’ requests to delete personal data, and in the month leading up to the rules’ enforcement — and especially in the aftermath of Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica data breach — tech companies are rethinking their data retention policies.
Latest Stories
-
Business Week’s Kofi Ahovi calls for stronger international partnerships to drive climate solutions
2 minutes -
Avenor building collapse victim identified as Esther Donkor, a trader and mother of 4
9 minutes -
GSA PhD cohort in UK expresses frustration over delayed scholarship payments
10 minutes -
Academic City’s Dr Lucy Agyepong honoured at 2026 Ghana Women of the Year Awards
10 minutes -
GJA applauds stakeholders for successful World Press Freedom Day Honours Night
19 minutes -
‘Cool heads must prevail’ – Health Committee Chair urges resolution of KATH impasse
23 minutes -
West Ham co-owner accused of preying on women for sex
24 minutes -
Nearly GH₵24bn of 2026 Q1 budget left unspent as revenue shrinks by GH₵2.7bn – Finance Ministry data
28 minutes -
Concerned Patriots of Ahafo Ano North injuncts NPP polling station elections
31 minutes -
Starmer tells Apple and Google to ban nude images on children’s phones
44 minutes -
‘Lives lost cannot be reversed’ – Minority appeals to KATH striking staff to resume work
46 minutes -
‘Don’t try to make James Bond woke’ – Idris Elba
49 minutes -
JICA and Noguchi enhance lab skills of healthcare professionals in Africa to combat infectious diseases
53 minutes -
Toronto Investment Forum to spotlight Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy push
54 minutes -
The Vanishing Crisis: Inside the Equity Savings and Loans crisis
60 minutes