WhatsApp ads will now also appear in Europe within the Updates tab.
Last year, Meta announced plans to add advertising to WhatsApp in 2026. This was first rolled out in other parts of the world, but now it seems it’s Europe’s turn. The ads will appear in the Updates tab as promoted channels and Status updates. According to the messaging service, this helps connect users with businesses, but at the same time, it is a pure source of revenue for Meta.
Hidden in Status updates
“Promoted channels and ads in Status are now available globally, so you’ll likely see them appearing in the Updates tab soon if you haven’t already,” WhatsApp stated in a post on X. “These features help you find businesses and channels to connect with, directly within WhatsApp.”
The ads appear in the Updates tab, a place we personally don’t visit often when using the app. For now, WhatsApp is not mentioning ads in chats. The company emphasizes that “your personal messages are end-to-end encrypted and not accessible to others.”
However, Meta has already found a workaround for that. The company previously indicated that it will use interactions with Meta AI (the blue circle in WhatsApp) to offer personalized ads. Those who want to send messages without sharing metadata with Meta can use Signal as an alternative.