The organization also declared that Meta made a “tone-deaf” call that flies in the face of various specialists and experts who’ve documented the harm that social media can impose upon children.
WhatsApp, in particular, allows people to have direct, unmonitored conversations with people from around the world. Many adults who use this app do so to not just send texts, but also to engage in phone calls, video chats, and voice memos.
Needless to say, in the wrong hands, this can open up children to people who are knowingly preying on them or otherwise harboring ill intentions.
WhatsApp isn’t planning to walk back this decision
If WhatsApp’s response to the backlash is any indication, it has no plans of reversing its decision to let 13 to 16 year olds in Europe use its service.
The Meta subsidiary first told CNN that it allows users to report and block messages from “unknown numbers.” In this same statement, WhatsApp reiterated that each person using its service can opt out of particular groups if they so choose.
