End-to-end encryption is still guaranteed, and Meta also said that if users only use the app to call or message their contacts, there will be “no change to [the] experience at all,” though for many, this promise simply isn’t enough.

Meta has announced the introduction of advertisements to WhatsApp, ending its long-standing ad-free experience.

Meta is making a major shift in how it monetises WhatsApp, its massively popular messaging platform, by introducing ads and subscription features in the coming months. The change, announced on June 16 via a press release and further explained in a briefing with reporters, marks the first time WhatsApp will host paid promotions.

Ads will appear exclusively in the ‘Updates’ tab on WhatsApp, which includes the Status and Channels features used by about 1.5 billion users daily. Businesses can promote products or services through Status ads,

WhatsApp, long considered a sanctuary from ads, is now showing promotions in its Updates tab. Meta’s announcement brings status ads, channel promotions and paid subscriptions to the app. Private chats remain untouched,

WhatsApp rolls out ads in Updates section as Meta monetizes the messaging app. Discover how this changes your private messaging experience forever.

WhatsApp is the instant messaging app we all know and love. In the ever-changing digital landscape - like Trump Mobile launched by the US president just this week - WhatsApp has remained largely unchanged in recent years.

Meta has officially launched advertisements on WhatsApp, utilizing its Stories-like status feature to display business ads.