WhatsApp has officially announced that it will introduce advertisements on its platform, specifically in a section named Updates located at the bottom tab of the screen. This change will allow businesses to promote themselves and offer subscription-based services to users. The company clarified that these features will only be visible in the Updates tab and will not impact personal chats. Users can support their preferred channels by subscribing for exclusive updates at a monthly fee, with WhatsApp taking a 10% commission.
While ads are not new to Meta-owned platforms like Instagram and Facebook, the addition of ads on WhatsApp has sparked mixed reactions from users. Some users have expressed anger and dissatisfaction, with a few even considering deleting the app from their devices. WhatsApp reassured users that all messages remain encrypted and private, emphasizing that personal messages, calls, and statuses are end-to-end encrypted.
Despite the privacy measures, WhatsApp confirmed that some user data will be utilized to display targeted ads based on users’ interests and interactions. The company disclosed that limited information such as location, language, followed channels, and ad preferences will be used for ad targeting. However, despite these assurances, many users remain skeptical about the upcoming changes and fear a potential influx of intrusive ads on the platform in the future.