WhatsApp Introduces Paid Channels and Ads in Updates Tab

WhatsApp is launching new monetization features in its Updates tab, now used by 1.5 billion people daily. Users can subscribe to favorite Channels for exclusive content, while admins can boost visibility through Promoted Channels. Additionally, businesses will be able to place ads in Status updates to drive discovery and engagement, all separate from personal chats, which remain end-to-end encrypted. Meta says the ads are built with privacy in mind, using limited data such as language, city, and user interactions without sharing phone numbers. They would say that…