Meta Brings Ads to WhatsApp

Meta Platforms announced it will begin showing ads and offering paid subscriptions on WhatsApp. The move comes as the company looks to turn its messaging platform into a fresh revenue stream.

The changes center on WhatsApp’s Updates tab, which hosts the app’s user status feature and has 1.5 billion daily visits globally. With the latest upgrade, this section will house advertisements and commercial content separate from users’ private chats.

A new channel subscription feature will allow users to pay a monthly fee to receive exclusive updates from selected channels, such as news providers or public figures. Meanwhile, promoted channels will enable users to discover new creators, while also giving channel admins the option to boost their visibility in the commercial directory. In addition, ads shown directly in the status section will allow users to engage directly with businesses promoting products or services.

Meta said in a statement that personal messages will remain ad-free and fully encrypted. The company explained that ad targeting will rely on general information such as location, language, followed channels, and user interaction with ads. For users who have linked WhatsApp with Meta’s Accounts Centre, ad preferences across the company’s services, such as Instagram, may also be used.

Meta stressed that it will not sell or share phone numbers with advertisers, and personal messages, calls, and group activity will remain off-limits for ad targeting. Rollout of the new tools is set to take place over the coming months.