The Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) denied Meta’s appeal and maintained the recommendation for WhatsApp and Messenger as not recommended for children under 14 years of age. The decision was made on Monday (27) in an order published in the Official Gazette of the Union. According to the document, Meta’s appeal “did not bring sufficient elements” to change the recommendation of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
In practice, the classification remains the same as that made in 2025. At that time, the government revised the age recommendation for several platforms. Messenger and WhatsApp went from 12 to 14 years old as a minimum age.
The age issue reflects risks such as violence, sex, drugs and interactivity.
The ministry’s idea is to offer some criteria to those responsible, but it does not prevent access. The rating works like in series and films, where there is a rating warning at the beginning and it is up to parents to restrict access to the work or not. In the case of apps, the indication appears in app stores.
Messenger and WhatsApp allow unprotected communication and online shopping. The MJSP highlights that among the factors to maintain the classification are direct communication resources between users, advertising, offering or selling products, content recommendation and, in the case of WhatsApp, location sharing.
“In short, the decision, in itself, does not prevent access to WhatsApp or Messenger by children under 14 years of age. What it states is that, under current operating conditions, these applications are not recommended for this age group, according to the current technical criteria for indicative classification”, says a note from the MJSP to the report.
In 2025, the government changed Instagram’s minimum age recommendation to 16 years old. At the time, the argument was that the app could provide access to scenes of sex, nudity, violence and drug use.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Meta requested a review, as it disagreed with the previous classification. Although the company has not officially commented, it tried to change the recommendation for applications – when consulted, Meta said it would not comment on the case.
Expert considers that Meta’s reaction is probably related to “fear”. According to Maria Mello, manager of the digital axis at Instituto Alana (an entity that fights to guarantee rights for children and adolescents), even if maintaining the indication does not change anything, parents will be able to check the classification and limit the use of the app, causing the company to lose users.
At the same time, the ministry’s indication differs from that made by Meta. Instagram and Messenger are recommended for use from the age of 13, while the ministry says it is inappropriate for children under 14. Recently, Meta announced a system for parents to manage accounts of children under 13 on WhatsApp – in addition, the company has a version of Messenger for minors called Messenger Kids, which has parental controls.
The classification may indicate greater movement on the part of the government. Maria, from Alana, mentions that the MJSP can use other mechanisms – such as the conventional ECA (Child and Adolescent Statute) or the Consumer Protection Code – to demand more obligations from the company for children and adolescents.
Source: www.noticiasaominuto.com.br
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