WhatsApp will begin showing ads globally in the coming months on users’ Status screens, the popular chat app’s version of Instagram Stories.
The ads will not be shown in the chat area of the app.
Similarly to how an ad pops up after viewing a few Instagram Stories, the same will happen after scrolling through WhatsApp Status updates.
Meta said it will not use personally identifiable data like phone numbers or messages, but will use signals like users’ country or city, language, and channels they follow.
Companies and users will be able to promote their Channels, WhatsApp’s broadcast feature, allowing creators to charge users a subscription for updates on their Channel.
WhatsApp claims to have 1.5 billion users globally and said they see this move as the “natural next step.”