WhatsApp might soon start asking you for your birth year
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A new change is coming to WhatsApp due to certain U.S. states passing age verification laws. The changes are aimed at protecting children online, and different laws and legislation bills are currently in progress.
Now, Meta is getting WhatsApp ready for these changes. In a recent beta version for Android (v.2.24.12.25) of the app, WABetaInfo discovered code that is meant to make WhatsApp ask you for your birth year. The prompt warns that the year cannot be changed later, and you need to provide it to continue using WhatsApp.
For now, this feature is not available to the public. Although there’s no official reason given for this feature, it’s most likely connected to the laws that are currently in the works in the U.S.
It seems that Meta will not be showing your birth year within WhatsApp, and this prompt seems to only be for compliance with local laws.
It’s probable this prompt will appear to you if you live in a state with age verification laws (or you’re visiting).
These are currently the US states where verification laws have been passed:
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
This means when this update rolls out publicly, you’ll probably see the prompt if you live in one of them. Of course, as with anything currently in beta, we don’t know exactly when this feature will be officially released. However, it’s probably going to be sooner rather than later so that WhatsApp can be compliant with the legislation.
Questions & Answers
Q.Why is WhatsApp introducing a birth year verification feature?
Why is WhatsApp introducing a birth year verification feature?
This feature is being introduced because certain U.S. States have passed age verification laws. It is intended to help protect children online and comply with these new regulations.
Q.Will all WhatsApp users be asked to provide their birth year?
Will all WhatsApp users be asked to provide their birth year?
It is probable that this prompt will only appear to users who live in U.S. States with age verification laws, or those visiting such states. The feature is not expected to be shown to all users.
Q.Can users change their birth year after entering it in WhatsApp?
Can users change their birth year after entering it in WhatsApp?
No, the prompt discovered in the beta version warns that the birth year cannot be changed later. Users will need to provide it accurately to continue using the app if prompted.
Q.Which specific states currently have age verification laws that might trigger this feature?
Which specific states currently have age verification laws that might trigger this feature?
The US states where verification laws have been passed include Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee.
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