Facebook-owned messaging app WhatsApp is reportedly planning to allow advertisements to be displayed in the “Status” section of the app in 2019, according to reports.
WhatsApp’s “Status” feature allows users to share text, photos, videos and animated GIFs that disappear after 24 hours.
Rumours about Facebook fueling ads on WhatsApp started popping up at the end of last month, stating that ads are coming to WhatsApp for iOS, and now same happens for Android, Android Headlines reported.
“WhatsApp beta for Android 2.18.305: WhatsApp is implementing in this version ads for Status. They are not visible yet and the feature will be enabled in future,” fan-site WABetaInfo that tests WhatsApp features early tweeted.
It comes after WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton recently revealed that he had clashed with Facebook management over its attempts to wring money from the app. Acton admitted that he had sold the privacy of WhatsApp users – one of the core principles upon which WhatsApp was founded.
Four years after its acquisition by Facebook for $19 billion, WhatsApp, which now has over 1.5 billion users, will reportedly and most likely carry targeted ads from 2019 – on a platform that has been ad-free till date. Now the big question is; will WhatsApp users be happy about this new development if it is actually implemented?
