Meta Platforms(US:META) 3 6 Ke·2025-06-23 03:36Core Viewpoint - Meta has decided to allow advertisements on WhatsApp, introducing "Status Ads" to engage users with brands, marking a significant shift in WhatsApp's positioning after 11 years of ownership [1][3][5]. Group 1: Advertising Strategy - The new advertising format aims to help users discover brands and communicate directly with businesses, enhancing user engagement with promotional content [3]. - WhatsApp has introduced a subscription model for channels, allowing users to support content creators and receive exclusive updates, while also recommending new channels based on user interests [3]. - Meta claims that ads will only appear in the "Updates" tab, ensuring that personal chat experiences remain unchanged for users [3]. Group 2: Historical Context - WhatsApp's original founders resisted advertising, believing it would harm user experience and privacy, which contributed to its rapid growth to 200 million active users within four years [5]. - Meta acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014, promising to uphold its ad-free principle, but faced backlash when it attempted to integrate WhatsApp with Facebook's advertising system [5][7]. - Previous attempts to monetize WhatsApp through user data sharing and advertising were met with strong opposition from both users and the original founders, leading to their departures from the company [7][8]. Group 3: Financial Implications - Analysts estimate that WhatsApp currently generates only $0.5 to $1 billion annually from enterprise services, indicating a significant untapped revenue potential [11]. - With over 3 billion monthly active users and 1.5 billion daily users, the introduction of ads could potentially generate over $10 billion in annual revenue for Meta [11][13]. - Meta's recent financial performance has been bolstered by AI-driven advertising tools, which have significantly increased ad revenue, suggesting that WhatsApp's user data could further enhance these capabilities [13][15].