WhatsApp is trying to help users find more channels and businesses using ads Image Credit: WhatsApp
The WhatsApp was probably one of the few messaging apps that did not serve its users’ ads, but it was about to change. Meta, the primary company of WhatsApp, has just announced that the messaging app will start showing ads in status and channels, but not on any of your personal chat. Highlighting the latest changes in the WhatsApp in a blog post, the messaging app has revealed important new features for the update tab, which is home to both channels and status. According to the WhatsApp, these changes mean “helping administrators, organizations and businesses that grow on the WhatsApp.”
He said, if you are not using an update tab in any way, you will not be affected by these changes (hopefully!). But if you do, here’s the latest update will add to the app in the coming days:
- Channel Subscripts: You will be able to support your favorite channel by subscribing to receiving special updates for monthly fees.
- Promoted channels: We will help you discover new channels that may be interesting for you when you are looking at the directory. For the first time, the organizers have a way to increase their channel.
- Ads in status: You will be able to find a new business and easily start talking to them about a product or service they are promoting their status.
Once again, these new features will only appear on the updates tabs, so if you are using just WhatsApp to chat with friends and loved ones, there is no change in your experience.
Ads will only be displayed on the updates tabs Image Credit: WhatsApp
As far as advertisements go, WhatsApp says it will use limited information such as the country or the city, the language, the user who is following the channels, and how they interact with the ads, to serve their ads that can be of interest to them.
In addition, WhatsApp mentions that for those who have chosen to add WhatsApp to the Accounts Center, they will use their advertising preferences and information from their meta accounts.
For security reasons, WhatsApp will not sell or share consumer phone numbers to advertisers. Also, the messaging app states that they will not use your personal messages, calls and groups in which you are to determine the ads you can see.
At first glance, it doesn’t look bad for people who only use WhatsApp to communicate with friends and family, but it looks like the first step towards more aggressive implementation of advertising.
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