Meta has begun rolling out ads on WhatsApp for the first time, starting with its Updates tab. The move also includes channel subscriptions and promoted content, all outside private chats.

However, the most notable change is the inclusion of advertisements. These will appear in Status under the Updates tab, letting users discover new businesses and start a conversation about the product or service which they're promoting. WhatsApp says that ads will only be displayed in the Updates tab and not where the personal chats are.

They will appear in only one part of the Meta-owned messaging service, it said. The move is potentially lucrative, while raising questions about user privacy.

WhatsApp rolls out ads in Updates section as Meta monetizes the messaging app. Discover how this changes your private messaging experience forever.

Will Cathcart, head of Meta's subsidiary, announced the launch of WhatsApp channels with subscriptions and advertising. He says the rollout of artificial intelligence does not compromise the privacy of encrypted messaging.

Meta has officially announced plans to introduce advertisements to WhatsApp, nearly 11 years after acquiring the messaging platform in a $19 billion deal.

At one time, WhatsApp operated on a subscription model, charging a nominal amount per year to use the service — generally the rough equivalent of $1 per year in whatever country a user resided.

During its initial phase, WhatsApp adopted a subscription model that exhibited some variability. In certain countries, users incurred a one-dollar charge for downloading, while in others ...

Rumours about WhatsApp working on a premium subscription model for business users have been floating around. Reports have suggested that WhatsApp will be offering some add-on features to its ...