WhatsApp is developing a new feature that automatically deletes the accounts of people under the age of 16
When a user signs up for WhatsApp he/she accepts the Terms and Conditions of Use of the application. 99% of users, in order to have a WhatsApp account, accept without paying too much attention to what is written in the Terms of Use, but making a big mistake. Because it would be enough to read a few lines to find out that to use WhatsApp you need to be at least 16 years old. Otherwise, the application has every right to delete the person's profile. And that's exactly what will happen in the coming months.
The news comes directly from the guys at WABetaInfo, always very informed about the news concerning the messaging application. Already in recent months had leaked the news that WhatsApp was working on a system to automatically delete profiles that do not comply with the Terms and Conditions of Use. For example, many profiles were banned because they were using fake WhatsApp apps that promised to unlock premium features, but in reality did nothing but steal user information. Now the developers would be ready to test a system that eliminates the WhatsApp accounts of the Under 16.
To use WhatsApp you must be at least 16 years old
There are not many rules to respect to use WhatsApp. The most important one is the age limit: to use WhatsApp you must be at least 16 years old. Many people ignore this, including parents who allow their children to use the application even if they are only 10 or 11 years old. The application, in fact, is widely used among those under 16 to send pictures, videos or voice notes. The developers of the social application, however, would seem to have made a final decision: to enforce the Terms and Conditions of Use and eliminate all accounts of boys and girls under the age of 16.
The problem for WhatsApp will be being able to understand the age of the person who is using the application. During the registration phase, in fact, neither the date of birth nor other personal information is requested. For the moment, it is a mystery how the system that will eliminate accounts under 16 on WhatsApp will work.
What changes for WhatsApp users
If WhatsApp decides to enforce the terms of use, it will be a sort of Copernican revolution for the application. It will lose an important pool of its users and also some appeal to younger users. Many may be tempted to move groups and private conversations to other shores. Such as Telegram.
We'll see in the coming months if WhatsApp will really decide to delete all accounts of users under 16.