WhatsApp is facing criticism for lowering the minimum user age from 16 to 13 in Europe. Reuters (representative image)
Social media giant Meta has come under fire for lowering the minimum age for WhatsApp users in Europe from 16 to 13. The move has been condemned by children’s rights groups, who urged Meta to reverse the decision.
according to guardian, the changes were announced in February and came into effect in the United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) on Wednesday (April 10). This comes amid ongoing debate about the use of smartphones by school-going children and how harmful it is.
Let’s take a closer look.
WhatsApp lowers minimum age for users
To bring its messaging platform into compliance with the EU’s new online safety law, WhatsApp has reportedly updated its terms of service and privacy policy, including lowering the minimum age to 13 years. mirror.
Meta-owned WhatsApp said on its website that the changes in Europe were “to ensure WhatsApp’s minimum age requirements are consistent around the world.”
In most countries, including India, the minimum age to use WhatsApp is 13 years.
WhatsApp is under attack
British campaign groups criticized WhatsApp for the change.
UK-based campaign group Smartphone Free Childhood said the move “comes in the face of growing public demand for big tech companies to do more to protect children.” Reported. Guardian.
“Officially allowing people over 12 to use the platform sends a message that it’s safe for children. But teachers, parents and experts tell a very different story. We “As a community, we are tired of big tech putting shareholder interests ahead of protecting our children,” the group added.
Daisy Greenwell, the group’s co-founder, said in a statement that WhatsApp “puts the interests of our shareholders first and the safety of our children second.”
She called lowering the age limit “totally tone-deaf” and said the dangers of social media use were “the alarm bells ringing from scientists, doctors, teachers, child safety experts, parents and mental health experts alike. “We are ignoring the increasingly loud voices of the people,” he added.For children, reported CNN.
British Conservative MP Vicky Ford said Mr Mehta’s decision to change the age limit without consulting parents was “grossly irresponsible”.
However, WhatsApp defended its decision. A spokesperson for the messaging platform said: CNN, “We offer all users the option to control who can be added to groups. We also offer the option to block and report an account the first time you receive a message from an unknown number. doing.”
WhatsApp also only allows access to people who know your phone number. Users can also limit their visibility through privacy settings.
However, Smartphone Free Childhood has questioned the effectiveness of WhatsApp’s safety features, saying the app, like other social media platforms, can be disruptive to teens at school. Stated. The group reported that young people had “unrestricted internet access in their pockets” and warned that this was having far-reaching effects on their development, mental health and social lives. Sky News.
Is it just WhatsApp?
no.
Other popular social media and messaging platforms such as Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) list 13 years of age as their minimum age requirement for users.
Please also read:Meta introduces AI tool to blur nude images on Instagram to protect children
So why was there such an uproar?
Recent changes to WhatsApp have sparked criticism as debate continues over age limits for young people using mobile phones and social media in the UK.
According to a blog by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), children are exposed to many risks on WhatsApp, including receiving unwanted messages and calls, pressure to respond, and cyberbullying. I am.
A recent poll by the charity Parentkind found that more than four in five parents, or 83%, think smartphones are “harmful” to children and young people. Additionally, 58% of parents said the UK government should ban smartphone use for children under 16. Sky News.
talk to inews.co.jpReacting to age policy changes in Europe, Dr Emma L. Bryant, Associate Professor of News and Political Communication at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, said: ‘Children are already finding ways around age limits, but this This app is fine for younger audiences.”
She also warned that WhatsApp features such as disappearing messages and end-to-end encryption evoke a sense of privacy and “encourage over-sharing of intimate photos.”
“Meta recommends parental control and encourages parents to talk to and educate their children, but children at that age already experience extreme social pressure and even if their own child Even if the child is mentally mature enough not to do so, he or she may be added to a group with other children.” Dr. Bryant added.
Esther Gee, whose teenage daughter Briana Gee was murdered, continues to campaign for age restrictions on smartphone use and strict controls on access to social media platforms.
The UK government is reportedly considering a proposal to ban the sale of mobile phones to under-16s. evening standard.
Meta, which also owns Facebook and Instagram, caused an uproar last year when it tried to lower the minimum age for its virtual reality app from 13 to 10 in the US, despite opposition from lawmakers.
Based on opinions from agents