WhatsApp introduces advertising. In the actual messenger tab, users should not encounter them. But after many years without advertising, the message causes a sensation in the media and forums. According to the operating company, the overlays should only be shown in the “current” tab in the future. This is used daily by 1.5 billion users.
The area called “updates” in English includes both channels and status updates. Users who use WhatsApp exclusively for private chats should not be affected by the changes.
Which data WhatsApp provides
For the advertising control, WhatsApp provides user data, it says in the official blog of the service. This included, for example, the country or city of the user, its language, the channels he follows and interactions with advertisements. Anyone who has connected WhatsApp with other meta accounts also automatically provides their advertising preferences and advertising information from these accounts. Personal messages, calls and status reports, on the other hand, remained end-to-end, it is said.
In addition to the ads, WhatsApp introduces further paid functions. In the future, users can support their favorite channels through monthly subscriptions and receive exclusive content. This is followed by the example of other services, such as YouTube, where subscribers to a channel can support Creator membership and receive certain advantages in return. In addition, channel operators can increase their range via “advertised channels” for payment. So far, WhatsApp does not even make all available channels to be found via the search function, but only selected with ticks.
Change of course at WhatsApp
The measures represent a change of course. The WhatsApp founder Jan Koum and Brian Acton deliberately decided against advertising in 2009 and built up an ad-free communication platform. Both left the company a few years after the takeover by Facebook (today Meta), which at that time took place for $ 19 billion.
The advertising and the other new functions are to be rolled out in the coming months.
Discover more from Apple News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.