WhatsApp introduces advertising

WhatsApp introduces advertising. Users will not encounter them in the actual Messenger tab. However, after many years without advertising, the news has caused quite a stir in the media and forums. According to the operating company, the ads will only be shown in the “News” tab in the future. This is used by 1.5 billion users every day.

The “Updates” section includes both channels and status updates. Users who only use WhatsApp for private chats will not be affected by the changes.

What data WhatsApp provides

According to the service's official blog, WhatsApp provides limited user data for ad targeting. This includes the user's country or city, their language, the channels they follow and interactions with ads. Anyone who has connected WhatsApp with other meta accounts automatically provides their advertising preferences and ad information from these accounts. Personal messages, calls and status messages, on the other hand, remain end-to-end encrypted.

In addition to ads, WhatsApp is also introducing other paid features. In the future, users will be able to support their favorite channels via monthly subscriptions and receive exclusive content in return. This follows the example of other services, such as YouTube, where subscribers can support a channel creator through a membership and receive certain benefits in return. In addition, channel operators can increase their reach via “promoted channels” in return for payment. So far, WhatsApp has not even made all available channels findable via the search function, but only selected ones with a checkmark.

Change of course for WhatsApp

The measures represent a change, of course. WhatsApp founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton made a conscious decision against advertising in 2009 and set up an ad-free communication platform. Both left the company a few years after it was acquired by Facebook (now Meta) for 19 billion dollars.

Advertising and other new functions are to be rolled out in the coming months.

(mki)