Meta-owned messaging app–WhatsApp will soon start showing ads in its status section as part of Meta’s push to boost revenue from its massive user base.
These ads will be tailored using user data such as location, language preferences, and in-app activity.
Where will the ads be shown in the App?
– Ads will appear only in WhatsApp’s Status/Updates tab, which sees up to 1.5 billion daily users. Developers confirmed they won’t show up in personal chats tab.
What about my privacy? Are my chats/calls protected?
WhatsApp clarified that personal messages and calls remain private and protected, further saying..
“The personal messaging experience on WhatsApp isn’t changing, and personal messages, calls and statuses are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be used to show ads.”
WhatsApp clarified that it won’t use users’ personal messages, calls, or group memberships to target them with ads.
WhatsApp said the ads shown in its app will be personalized based on several user details, including their age, location (such as country or city), preferred language, and the channels they follow. The app will also take into account how users engage with the ads they see—such as clicks or views—to better tailor future ad content.
Meta stated, “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,” while reassuring users that it “will never sell or share your phone numbers to advertisers,” and that it won’t use their “messages, calls, or groups to inform its ads.”
Ads and paid channel features will roll out worldwide in the coming months, though Meta hasn’t shared when they’ll reach specific countries.
