Teens To Be Banned From Whatsapp

Love using Whatsapp? Under the age of 16? You may need to find a new messaging app soon.

According to Mashable the Facebook-owned messaging app raising its age limit from 13 to 16 in Europe. The reason its doing this is to meet the new European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law, which comes into effect on May 25.

If you’re a UAE national or resident above the age of 13 you don’t need to worry. The Terms of Service change won’t affect you (unless you relocated to Europe, that is), but your friends abroad may no longer have access to the messaging app.

In a statement on its website, Whatsapp made it clear that “…if you live in a country in the European Region, you must be at least 16 years old to use our Services or such greater age required in your country to register for or use our Services.” It also clarified that any users living in any other country “except those in the European Region . . . must be at least 13 years old to use our Services or such greater age required in your country to register for or use our Services.”

Whatsapp also notes that if you are not old enough to have authority to agree to our Terms in your country, your parent or guardian must agree to the terms on your behalf.

Will you be affected? Let us know in the comments below.