WhatsApp is officially rolling out ads. The Meta-owned platform announced the update on Monday, including two new features: Channel Subscriptions and Promoted Channels.
As per the blog post, WhatsApp ads will appear on the status screen. The chat app says this will enable users “to find a new business and easily start a conversation with them about a product or service they’re promoting in Status.” WhatsApp adds that these new features will only appear on the Updates tab, away from your chats. Thus, you won’t notice any of these changes, nor will your experience on the platform change if you only use the application to chat.
The ads on the status screen will be just like the ones on Instagram, which appear after watching a few stories. You will only see WhatsApp ads after you’ve scrolled through a few Status updates.
The company says it has built this new feature in the most private way possible, promising that users’ personal messages, calls, and statuses remain end-to-end encrypted. This means no one can see or hear them, not even them. WhatsApp will also tailor the ads to users’ interests by using “limited” information, including one’s country or city, language, the channels they follow, and how they interact with ads on the platform. For people who added WhatsApp to Accounts Center, the company will also use your ad preferences and info from across your Meta accounts.
The messaging app also added that the company will never sell or share your phone number to advertisers. Your messages, calls, and groups you are in will not be used to determine the ads you may see.
“We’ve been talking about our plans to build a business that does not interrupt your personal chats for years, and we believe the Updates tab is the right place for these new features to work.” WhatsApp wrote in the blog post.
On the other two new features, WhatsApp introduced Channel subscriptions, which will make it possible for users to support their favorite channels by subscribing to receive exclusive updates for a monthly fee, while Promoted Channels, you will be able to discover new channels that might be interesting to you when looking through the directory. “For the first time, admins have a way to increase their Channel’s visibility,” wrote WhatsApp.
