00:00WhatsApp announced on Monday that will start showing advertising as owner Meta seeks new
00:05revenue from the app's billions of users.
00:09The popular chat app will start displaying ads in the Updates tab, but the company insists
00:14personal chats and calls will remain encrypted and won't be used for targeting.
00:19However, the move is already facing scrutiny in Europe, where the commission previously
00:25warned it may violate data and competition laws.
00:29This is a major policy shift for WhatsApp, whose founders vowed to keep it ad-free before
00:34Meta's takeover in 2014.
00:37Alongside ads, WhatsApp is also introducing paid channel subscriptions and promotions for
00:43businesses.
00:45The changes highlight Meta's reliance on advertising, which made up nearly all of its $164 billion
00:51in revenue last year.
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