After over a decade of commitment to an ad-free experience, WhatsApp has announced the introduction of ads in the Updates tab. This decision comes a long time after its acquisition by Meta Platforms in 2012. Founders Brian Acton and Jan Koum departed due to disagreements on privacy and ads. Despite privacy concerns and user backlash fears, Meta will implement a limited advertising approach, showcasing ads from businesses in the Updates section where users view status updates, thus potentially altering the user experience significantly.
"A famous 2012 blog post clarifying WhatsApp's position on ads is still visible on the official WhatsApp blog...Meta refrained from introducing ads on the platform fearing backlash from WhatsApp's 1.5 billion strong user base."
"Now, more than a decade after the acquisition, WhatsApp's ad-free run appears to have finally come to an end...those familiar with WhatsApp's interface will know that this tab is where one needs to go to view status updates from their contacts."
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