WhatsApp, the world’s most popular messaging service, will soon begin displaying paid-for adverts to users for the first time—marking a significant shift for a platform that once proudly declared it would remain ad-free.
The Meta-owned service, which has around three billion monthly active users, will roll out the advertising features globally over the coming months. However, WhatsApp has insisted that ads will not appear in users’ personal chats, but instead will be shown in the app’s “status” section, a space used for ephemeral updates similar to Instagram Stories.
The move brings WhatsApp’s functionality closer to its sister platforms, Facebook and Instagram, and signals Meta’s intent to generate revenue from the service, which it bought in 2014 for $19 billion—still the group’s largest-ever acquisition.
WhatsApp said businesses operating “channels” on the platform will now be able to promote content in the updates tab, which also includes statuses. Companies will also be permitted to charge users for access to premium content via subscriptions, with WhatsApp expected to take a 10 per cent commission.
These new monetisation features come as WhatsApp faces growing scrutiny for recent updates, including the controversial introduction of an “Ask Meta AI” button that cannot be removed. The platform appears keen to reassure users that their private conversations will remain off-limits.
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