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Now it's clear: WhatsApp is introducing advertising.
Zacharie Scheurer/dpa-tmn/dpa
No advertising in WhatsApp chats. But that's changing. WhatsApp is introducing ads for the first time and opening up new sources of revenue with subscription models for channels.
"No ads, no frills" - this phrase was once WhatsApp's promise. But those days are finally over. The messenger, which belongs to the Meta Group, has announced that it will be introducing advertising with immediate effect.
What was only a rumor for a long time is now a reality: WhatsApp is now showing ads - in the "Status" and "Channels" function. In future, commercial content will also be displayed where users previously saw updates from friends or subscribed organizations. And that's not all: channels with a paid subscription model are now also included.
The advertisements come in two forms:
1. "Status ads" from subscribed companies - these posts look like normal stories, but have been prominently placed by companies for a fee.
2. "Discovery ads" for non-subscribed channels - paid content that you never requested now also appears in the recommendations.
And for all those who want more content but are prepared to pay: Some channels can only be unlocked by subscription in future.
Private chats, groups and calls will remain free of advertising, Meta assures. "Our aim is not to disrupt your personal chats," says the company. Advertising will only appear in the "News" tab.
Facebook and Instagram - also part of the Meta Group - also started off harmlessly, with ads now appearing everywhere.
And although WhatsApp emphasizes that chats remain taboo, this could change in the future. The company has already tested unsolicited messages - under the pretext of informing users about new functions.
