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Meta-Owned WhatsApp Starts in-App Ads for First Time
- On June 16, 2025, WhatsApp announced it will roll out new advertising features globally within its Updates tab on the Status screen.
- The introduction follows years of free, ad-free service and growing demand from businesses to connect with customers without disrupting personal chats.
- WhatsApp is introducing three monetization options within its Updates tab—where Status and Channels are accessed by 1.5 billion daily users—including subscription payments for channels, the ability to promote channels in a dedicated discovery section, and ads displayed exclusively in Status.
- WhatsApp said ads rely on limited data like location, language, Channels followed, and ad interactions, while personal messages, calls, and groups remain encrypted and excluded from ad targeting.
- This move advances Meta's revenue strategy, with executives calling ads a natural evolution and emphasizing minimal disruption to user experience outside personal communication.
183 Articles
183 Articles
Meta is bringing ads to WhatsApp. Privacy experts are sounding the alarm
Eleven years after purchasing WhatsApp, Meta is going full throttle with its plans to monetize the communication platform. And while officials at the social media giant say that users’ privacy will still be protected, some experts are urging caution. Meta announced on Monday that over the next few months it will bring advertisements to WhatsApp, a radical shift for an app whose founders deliberately chose not to include advertising (or games or …
WhatsApp Starts Showing Ads in Updates Tab: What Changes for Users
WhatsApp, owned by Meta, has started showing ads in its app for the first time. The company announced this change on June 16, 2025. Ads will only appear in the Updates tab, which includes Channels and Status. Private and group chats will not have ads. WhatsApp has 2 billion users every month. Until now, it […]
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