New Delhi: WhatsApp has begun testing an optional age-verification feature in India as it prepares to comply with provisions of the country's upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, which will require platforms to adopt measures for verifying the age of users, particularly children.

According to an NDTV Profit report, the Meta-owned messaging platform has rolled out the feature to a limited group of users after screenshots surfaced online showing a prompt asking users to "Add your date of birth", stating that upcoming Indian laws require the platform to collect users' age information.

Confirming the test, a WhatsApp spokesperson said, "To comply with upcoming laws in India like the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, we are testing privacy-protective ways for people to confirm their age."

The company clarified that the feature remains optional during the testing phase and users can continue using WhatsApp without entering their date of birth.

"This doesn't change how WhatsApp works or your experience. We understand that information about someone's age is private and it won't be shared with other WhatsApp users," the spokesperson added.

The move comes ahead of the implementation of provisions under India's DPDP Act, which require digital platforms processing children's personal data to introduce age-verification mechanisms to determine whether users are below 18 years of age.

The age-verification trial also comes at a time when Meta is facing increased regulatory scrutiny in India.

Earlier this week, Meta apologised after temporarily restricting a Facebook post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi related to examination paper leaks.

Separately, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has asked WhatsApp to delay the rollout of its proposed username feature, which would allow users to connect without sharing their mobile numbers, citing concerns over impersonation and digital fraud.