Earlier this week, WhatsApp released updates that drew much controversy and discussion online. For years, the platform had upheld its promise of remaining ad-free, distinguishing it from other social media platforms, such as YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.
However, the Meta-owned platform has introduced new features for its Updates tab, which houses Channels and Statuses (equivalent to Instagram stories).
In a new update, WhatsApp will now begin rolling out ads in Status updates. Furthermore, channel subscriptions have been introduced to allow users to receive paid and exclusive content.
Targeted advertisements will help users discover new channels while also helping admins increase visibility.
Will Personal Chats Remain Ad-Free?
The good news is that personal chats will still remain ad-free. Advertisements will exclusively appear in the App’s Updates tab, which is used by an estimated 1.5 billion people daily.
In their official blog post, WhatsApp stated:
“These new features will appear only on the Updates tab, away from your personal chats. This means if you only use WhatsApp to chat with friends and loved ones, there is no change to your experience at all.”
Keeping advertisers away from users’ personal data promises more security and greater privacy. The platform has reassured its clients that limited information will be extracted to personalise advertisements.
Languages, countries, and prior channel subscriptions will be used to suggest ads. End-to-end encryption of personal chats means that private messages cannot be used to tailor advertisements.
Are Users Switching to Signal?
Although the latest updates are unlikely to affect those who use WhatsApp solely for messaging and calls, Meta‘s decision to include ads has upset many users, who are now contemplating switching to Signal.
Signal offers many of the same services as WhatsApp, including end-to-end encryption, voice calls, and group chats. However, the free messaging platform has the additional benefit of no advertisements.
Many see this monetisation strategy as a betrayal, but others believe it was inevitable. Most of Meta’s revenue comes from ads, with 160.6 billion US dollars earned from advertisements alone in 2025.
Including ads inside WhatsApp is likely to increase their revenue, which is the ultimate goal of every privately owned corporation.
Although the ad-free experience has been tainted, many users are indifferent to the Updates tab, and thus are least bothered by the latest changes. Furthermore, user privacy is still uncompromised, maintaining WhatsApp’s reputation as a secure platform.
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