WhatsApp tests new age verification methods to comply with DPDP Act
WhatsApp is testing new ways for users to confirm their age while keeping their privacy in mind. This is to get ready for new Indian laws like the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP).
The company said that age information will stay private and won’t be shared with other users. Taking part in the age check is optional, and people can keep using WhatsApp without giving this information.
“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. We understand that information about someone’s age is private and it won’t be shared with other WhatsApp users,” a WhatsApp spokesperson said.
WhatsApp has asked some users for their date of birth because of new legal rules in India. This has led people to think the platform is getting ready for future age checks.
Early Tuesday, IT Secretary S Krishnan said the move “might be from the context of the DPDP Act, where it is age-related.”
“But we will have to check with them... because we are approaching the deadline...,” Krishnan had said.
When asked about the ministry’s next steps on username notices, Krishnan said the issue is not just about WhatsApp but affects all messaging apps. He explained that both the risk of impersonation from username features and privacy concerns need to be considered.
If the IT ministry decides to set common rules 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.”
The username feature lets users chat on the platform without sharing their phone numbers. Last month, the government sent a notice to WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, saying the new username feature could lead to more online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams, and impersonation. It asked WhatsApp to pause the feature until consultations are concluded. WhatsApp currently has nearly 500 million users in India. Explain why action shouldn’t be initiated under the IT Act and rules over WhatsApp’s proposed feature that may increase cybercrimes. It also reminded Meta that WhatsApp, as a significant social media intermediary, is bound by due diligence obligations under the IT Act and rules. WhatsApp has replied to the Government notice and confirmed it will not launch the feature in India until the discussions are complete.
After sending the notice to WhatsApp, the IT ministry also sent notices to Telegram and Signal. They asked these platforms how they handle fraud and impersonation risks linked to their username features.
