Meta is apparently still working on ads for WhatsApp. It is unclear whether Meta really wants to go through with the plan.
Meta has been thinking about implementing advertisements in WhatsApp for years. In 2018, concrete plans were on the table for advertising in the Status tab. These plans did not get off the ground, partly due to privacy concerns. Despite those concerns, the plan never really disappeared from the table, writes Brazilian news sites. In an interview with the publications, WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart indicated that advertising for the Status feature is still being considered.
Cathcart emphasized that Meta does not want to add ads to the inbox. You will therefore only see the advertisement when you view status updates from contacts. Presumably this will work similar to the ads between Instagram Stories. In the meantime, other forms of income are also being looked at. For example, the chat service is working on a promotional function for its channels. Cathcart also confirmed to Brazilian media that advertising may be added to the Channel feature.
It is unclear exactly what such advertising will look like. Meta told TechCrunch that it is not currently testing with ads. Whether it will start or prepare for this in the future remained undiscussed.
WhatsApp is making a U-turn
Cathcart’s statements are nevertheless striking. In September the CEO denied that WhatsApp had plans for advertisements. That denial has now been turned into a silent confirmation. It is unclear how concrete these plans are. As mentioned, such a plan was also put on the table in 2018, but ultimately disappeared.
