WhatsApp tests age-verification feature in India ahead of DPDP Act implementation
New Delhi, Aug 7
Meta-backed WhatsApp has started testing an optional feature that allows users in India to add their date of birth as the messaging platform prepares for compliance with upcoming provisions of the country's Digital Personal Data Protection Act relating to age verification, according to a report.
NDTV Profit reported that the company confirmed that the feature is being tested with a limited set of users after screenshots surfaced online showing a prompt asking users to 'Add your date of birth', stating that upcoming laws in India require the platform to ask for users' age.
"To comply with upcoming laws in India like the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, we are testing privacy-protective ways for people to confirm their age," a WhatsApp spokesperson said.
According to the company, the feature is currently optional and users do not need to provide their date of birth to continue using the messaging service during the testing phase.
"This doesn't change how WhatsApp works or your experience. We understand that information about someone's age is private and it won't be shared with other WhatsApp users," the spokesperson added, according to the report.
The move comes as India prepares to operationalise provisions of the DPDP Act that require platforms processing children's personal data to adopt age-verification measures to determine whether users are below 18 years of age.
The test also comes amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of Meta's operations in India.
Earlier this week, Meta apologised after temporarily restricting a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi related to examination paper leaks.
Separately, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has asked WhatsApp to delay the rollout of its username feature which would allow users to connect without sharing mobile numbers, citing concerns over impersonation and digital fraud.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good move by WhatsApp. Age verification is essential to protect minors online. But let's be honest — people can easily enter a fake DOB. How effective will this really be? Also, why is India always the testing ground for these features? 🤔
As a parent, this gives me some relief. My kids use WhatsApp for school groups, and knowing there's an age check is reassuring. However, I hope the government also focuses on digital literacy — no feature can protect children if they don't know how to stay safe online. Also, why delay the username feature? That would've been useful for privacy!
Mark my words — this is just the beginning. Soon they'll ask for Aadhaar linking or something. 😒 The DPDP Act is good in theory, but the implementation always gets messy in India. Also, why is WhatsApp testing this here? We're not lab rats. Focus on improving end-to-end encryption and spam control first.
It's about time! The DPDP Act needs to be enforced properly, and age verification is a key part of it. But I'm concerned about data security — where will this birth date be stored? Will it be shared with Meta for targeted ads? The 'privacy-protective' claim sounds good, but I want details. Transparency is key, WhatsApp!
Interesting that WhatsApp is doing this while India's regulatory pressure intensifies. The username feature delay seems counterproductive though — usernames would actually reduce fraud by not exposing phone numbers. As for DOB verification, someone could just lie. We need more robust age verification systems,
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.