"In a surprising move, WhatsApp has introduced advertisements within the app, contradicting the original mission of its founders to provide an ad-free user experience."
"The addition of ads is focused on the 'Update' tab, sparking concerns about how this shift may compromise WhatsApp's identity as a secure messaging platform."
"Meta defended the decision by claiming that ads will respect user privacy, avoiding reliance on personal messages, but critics argue this undermines WhatsApp's core principles."
"WhatsApp's co-founders had firmly opposed ads, with Brian Acton famously stating, 'Remember, when advertising is involved you the user are the product', highlighting a fundamental shift in company ethos."
WhatsApp has deviated from its original mission by introducing advertisements after more than a decade of being an ad-free platform. This decision comes after its acquisition by Meta, which justifies the change by minimizing user impact. Ads will appear in the 'Update' tab with claims of respecting privacy. However, this move contradicts the founders' vision and raises concerns about privacy and the application’s secure messaging ethos, which was key to WhatsApp's identity from the start.
Read at The Verge
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