We don’t like change on social media. There was uproar when Twitter changed their algorithm and an outcry when Instagram integrated their answer to Snapchat, Stories. However, there is one change that gets people really angry. Yep, we’re talking about adverts.
While most free social media apps launch without advertising, as they grow in popularity the promotions slowly start to pop up. But there was one place that was still advert-free: WhatsApp. Not for long though, the app is starting to test advertising features on users in the next few months.
And much like the introduction of Instagram adverts, we have Facebook to blame. Facebook bought the app in 2014 and the messaging app will be working with the social media giants to control the adverts you see. In fact, WhatsApp have shared all their user’s phone numbers with Facebook in order for this to happen.
WhatsApp explained in a blog post on the company site that the data sharing with Facebook would be necessary to ensure the adverts you see are from ‘businesses that matter to you too, while still giving you an experience without third-party banner ads and spam’.
However, if the thought of this creeps you out you can actually opt out of your data being shared. Buried deep in the WhatsApp website are the details of how you do it - and it’s not that tricky.
You can’t turn off the adverts though, and while an annoying message interrupting a very important group chat is by no means good news, you can rest assured that your conversations are protected.
‘When you and the people you message are using the latest version of WhatsApp, your messages are encrypted by default, which means you're the only people who can read them.’ Phew.
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