Meta is introducing ads to WhatsApp for the first time since acquiring the app for $19 billion in 2014, according to CNBC. The company announced Monday that businesses can now run status ads in WhatsApp’s Updates tab, prompting users to message advertisers directly. Meta will also monetize the Channels feature through search ads and optional subscription fees. Ads won’t appear in personal conversations, which remain encrypted. CEO Mark Zuckerberg called business messaging “the next pillar” of Meta’s growth, with WhatsApp now surpassing 3 billion monthly users. Since acquiring WhatsApp in 2014, Meta has expanded the app’s global reach without introducing ads. WhatsApp’s founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, opposed advertising and left after clashing with Meta executives over its inclusion.
