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WhatsApp Introduces Targeted Ads, Users Seek Alternatives

6/18/2025

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Summary

Story summary

WhatsApp is set to roll out targeted ads in its Updates tab, impacting 1.5 billion daily users, while keeping personal chats ad-free. Despite previous commitments to avoid ads, Meta is pushing to monetize the platform. Users are worried about privacy and data usage, prompting some to explore alternatives like Signal, though ads will rely on minimal user data to maintain end-to-end encryption.

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Story summary

WhatsApp is set to roll out targeted ads in its Updates tab, impacting 1.5 billion daily users, while keeping personal chats ad-free. Despite previous commitments to avoid ads, Meta is pushing to monetize the platform. Users are worried about privacy and data usage, prompting some to explore alternatives like Signal, though ads will rely on minimal user data to maintain end-to-end encryption.