this post was submitted on 16 Jun 2025
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WhatsApp is officially getting ads (www.theverge.com)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by MazonnaCara89@lemmy.ml to c/technology@lemmy.world
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WhatsApp is rolling out ads. In an update on Monday, Meta announced that it will now show ads from businesses through its Stories-like status feature.

Meta says it will tailor the ads to your interests by using “limited” information, including your country or city, language, the channels you follow, and how you interact with ads on the platform. You can also change your ad preferences from Meta’s Accounts Center.

This isn’t the only change Meta is making to WhatsApp. The company will also start showing promoted channels when you click on the Explore button to find new ones to follow. It’s also rolling out the ability to subscribe to channels to “receive exclusive updates” as well.

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[–] Auth@lemmy.world 43 points 10 hours ago (5 children)

  • provide free app at a loss

  • grow massive user base and market share

  • squeeze your userbase for every cent they're worth

Every single time. We got to solve the funding issue some how, I dont want to live in a future run by ads.

[–] Susurrus@lemm.ee 6 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

It's not very easy to solve the issue of infinite growth in a world with finite resources. The fundamental issue is that it's just not physically possible, but they keep trying. Either we continue this cycle and eventually destroy the planet irreversibly, or we acknowledge that maybe money isn't everything, and that maybe [the vast majority of] people aren't inherently egoitistical monsters, and we move on to different systems.

[–] tarknassus@lemmy.world 4 points 6 hours ago

The enshittification process in a nutshell.

[–] ely@mastodon.green 2 points 6 hours ago

@Auth
So that's why we donate to @signalapp
@MazonnaCara89

[–] bonjour@mander.xyz 9 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

WhatsApp was not free and already had a massive user base before Facebook bought it.

Hope this will turn people to alternatives.

[–] SheenSquelcher@lemm.ee 2 points 1 hour ago

I'd forgotten about this!!

[–] Darleys_Brew@lemmy.ml 3 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Wasn’t it like a quid to sign up?

[–] bonjour@mander.xyz 3 points 6 hours ago

Yeah it was something like that, very low price compared to what SMS were charged for.

[–] hansolo@lemmy.today 2 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

Eastern Europe loves the app Viber that Rakuten bought, which has had ads for years.

People LOVE a walled garden of their friends are there, too.