The die is cast: eleven years after the acquisition by Meta, WhatsApp users will indeed see advertisements, despite WhatsApp always promising not to do so.
It was almost inevitable, but after years without advertisements, WhatsApp will soon feature ads. Meta shares this today in an announcement. For now, these advertisements will only appear in the Status section of the app, which is WhatsApp’s version of Instagram Stories.
Advertisements after Scrolling
Just like on Instagram, users will see advertisements after scrolling through a few Status updates. According to WhatsApp, the ads will be tailored based on location, language, followed channels, and previous ad interactions, but not on private data such as phone numbers, messages, or calls.
Additionally, WhatsApp allows businesses and creators to promote their channels in the discovery section. Certain businesses and creators may also request a subscription for exclusive updates. These payments will be processed through the familiar app stores.
1.5 Billion Users per Day
According to Meta, the Updates tab is growing rapidly, with more than 1.5 billion people using the Status and Channels features found in Updates daily. The company considers these new advertising and subscription options as a logical extension of its existing revenue models, such as WhatsApp Business and click-to-WhatsApp ads.
The global rollout of the advertising and promotion options will start in the coming months.
Meta’s Influence
With the introduction of advertisements, parent company Meta is asserting itself more prominently. “No advertisements” was one of the promises made by founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton, who have since left after disagreements with the new owner. It’s not the first time Meta has tried to introduce ads, and now it seems to be following through.
From Meta’s perspective, it’s an unsurprising move. Advertisements are the company’s main source of income. It’s the “price” you pay as a user to use services like Facebook and Instagram for free. In Europe, you can choose to pay for an expensive subscription to exempt yourself from personalized ads. Who knows, it might come to that for WhatsApp: the messaging app initially cost 99 cents per year.
A Signal to Switch?
The WhatsApp advertisements don’t sit well with many users. In various Reddit channels, users are lashing out at WhatsApp and owner Zuckerberg. WhatsApp is not only betraying itself but also its billions of users by breaking the promise to remain ad-free.
Alternative messaging apps will be ready with open arms to receive disgruntled WhatsApp users. The Signal app was already experiencing a small surge and might get another boost. Signal is managed by a non-profit organization and is not under the same commercial pressure as WhatsApp.
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This article originally appeared on June 16 and was updated with the most recent information.