Meta-backed WhatsApp has started testing an optional feature in India. The feature lets users provide their date of birth. This supports the platform as it prepares to comply with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act‘s age-verification requirements.

After screenshots appeared online showing a prompt to “Add your date of birth“. It stated that forthcoming regulations in India require the platform to ask users their age. The business verified the feature is being tested with a small group of users.

A representative for WhatsApp stated that the firm is investigating privacy-friendly ways for users to verify their age. Thus, this aims to align with impending Indian laws such as the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.

According to the firm, the feature is presently optional. In the testing phase, the system does not require users to provide their date of birth to continue using the service.

This has no impact on your experience or how Whats App operates. We recognize that information about someone’s age is confidential and we will not share it with other WhatsApp users. ”

We made this decision in light of India’s preparations to implement the DPDP Act, which requires platforms that process children’s personal data to use age-verification methods to determine if users are under 18.

Researchers conduct the test at a moment when regulators scrutinize Meta’s operations in India more heavily.

Meta apologized earlier this week for briefly restricting a Facebook message about exam paper leaks that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had posted.

In the interim, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has urged WhatsApp to postpone the launch of its username feature, which enables users to communicate without exchanging mobile numbers, raising concerns about identity theft and digital fraud.