Ads Coming to the WhatsApp Status Feature
Meta has announced that ads will be placed inside the “Status” section of WhatsApp. For those unfamiliar, Status is similar to Instagram or Snapchat Stories—users can post disappearing photos, videos, and messages viewable for 24 hours.
These ads will appear between Status updates, much like ads do on Instagram Stories. The good news for users is that Meta clarified ads will not appear inside private messages or group chats.
Why Is Meta Adding Ads to WhatsApp?
The move is largely financial. WhatsApp has over 2 billion users worldwide, but it has never generated the kind of revenue Meta sees from Instagram or Facebook. Adding ads is seen as a logical next step in turning WhatsApp into a source of income without charging users subscription fees.
As Meta continues to invest heavily in the metaverse and other long-term projects, short-term revenue generation through ads helps support its business model.
What About User Privacy?
Meta says it is committed to protecting user privacy, and ads will be shown only in the Status feed, not within conversations. However, the company may use certain user data to target ads more effectively—similar to how ads are personalized on Facebook and Instagram.
While Status is a public-facing feature and less sensitive than private messages, users may still feel uncomfortable with targeted advertising on a platform once known for its privacy-first approach.
Will This Change How People Use WhatsApp?
Probably not. WhatsApp has a huge global user base, and even with minor ad placements, it’s unlikely that users will abandon the app entirely. As one user commented in a Reddit discussion:
"Once a communication app builds a network effect, it’s almost impossible to displace."
This means people are likely to keep using WhatsApp, especially as long as their chats remain ad-free.
