WhatsApp introduces ads in status updates and channels, private chats stay secure

Meta has begun introducing advertisements within WhatsApp’s Status updates and Channels, bringing sponsored content to the platform’s Updates tab while keeping private chats untouched.

WhatsApp has long been celebrated for its ad-free experience, but it is now entering a new era.

“With more than a billion people scrolling through Status updates and following Channels daily, Meta is tapping into this engaged audience to generate revenue, following in the footsteps of Instagram and Facebook,” the company said.

Feel familiar

The ads are designed to feel familiar: Status ads appear between Stories-style updates, while Channel ads are integrated into broadcast feeds from brands, creators, and organisations.

Meta says it will tailor these ads based on users’ activity within WhatsApp, such as the types of channels they follow, the content they view in Status updates, and engagement with business accounts.

On privacy, Meta emphasises that this targeting does not use the content of private chats, maintaining end-to-end encryption for all personal messages, group chats, and calls.

The Updates tab now acts as a monetisation hub, offering businesses a way to reach WhatsApp’s vast global audience while keeping private conversations untouched.

However, the move has prompted mixed reactions, with some users surprised to see ads appearing in feeds they once assumed were commercial-free, while others accept it as part of WhatsApp’s evolution under Meta.

Meta says the rollout is gradual, with ads currently visible in select regions and plans to expand globally.

Other Topics To Read

• Technology
• Meta
• WhatsApp
• social media platforms
• End-to-end encryption
• Advertising
• Status
• Channels
• Privacy
• Monetisation
• Digital advertising
• WhatsApp introduces ads in status updates and channels
• private chats stay secure