Meta Set to Launch WhatsApp Monetization Features Globally, Outlines How It Will Work
- Meta is rolling out three major changes on WhatsApp globally, and explained to users how it will work
- This comes after threats from the company that it was going to withdraw Facebook and WhatsApp from Nigeria after the heavy fine from the FCCPC
- In keeping with its earlier promise to FCCPC on data privacy, Meta has promised that the new updates will not compromise users' privacy and safety
Legit.ng journalist Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.
Technology giant Meta has announced three major updates to one of its products, WhatsApp.
The three new features will change the way the WhatsApp Updates tab works, including Status and Channels for users, and also help business owners and content creators to expand their presence online.
The new features come with monetisation options for Content creators and business owners.
According to the Meta statement, it will also allow them to monetise their content.
Source: Getty Images
The Updates tab will now promote new channels for users to discover and promote channel subscriptions for exclusive updates.
In addition, there will now be ads in WhatsApp statuses to help businesses improve visibility and acquire new users.
This is a major move for WhatsApp and aligns with plans to finally monetise the platform in a way that does not interrupt users’ chats.
Despite the $220 million fine imposed on WhatsApp and Meta by the Nigerian government, the company has not made any exceptions to the latest update.
Meta launches WhatsApp monetisation feature
WhatsApp has a massive user base of over 1.5 billion users, and with the new updates, businesses and content creators will have access to them.
The Channels subscription features will allow users to pay a monthly fee for exclusive subscriptions to channels belonging to their favourite content creators, news outlets, and sports teams.
The second feature is the promoted channels, where WhatsApp will suggest new channels based on users’ interests, and allow content creators and businesses to pay to grow their visibility on the platform.
For ads in Status, businesses can upload pictures and video adverts on their status just like they do with Instagram Stories.
Users can view them in their status, discover new products and brands, and chat directly with the advertiser.
Amid all of these changes, Meta promised that users’ privacy would remain intact, and users’ contact information, chats, and data would never be sold to advertisers.
The statement read:
“Your personal messages, calls, and groups remain end-to-end encrypted, and that includes your Status updates. We’ll never sell or share your phone number with advertisers. To show ads in Status or Channels you might care about, we’ll use limited info like your country or city, language, the Channels you’re following, and how you interact with the ads you see.
“For people who have chosen to add WhatsApp to Accounts Center, we’ll also use your ad preferences and info from across your Meta accounts.”
Meta gives timeline to roll out the features
The Meta statement said the features will be rolled out gradually over the coming months.
Source: Getty Images
The company said that more information would be available on the WhatsApp Business website resources.
WhatsApp to no longer work on older phones
In related news, WhatsApp will no longer be compatible with specific versions of iPhones and Android.
Legit.ng reported that Meta urged users of the affected phone versions to change their devices.
WhatsApp is the preferred instant messaging app used by billions of users in countries across the globe.
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Source: Legit.ng
