WhatsApp is adding ads to the Status screen (techcrunch.com)
from throws_lemy@lemmy.nz to tech@programming.dev on 16 Jun 14:14
https://lemmy.nz/post/24296584

After years of providing free services without any bells attached, WhatsApp is now going to start showing ads on the popular chat app. To be clear, users will only see ads on the Status screen — the app’s take on Instagram’s Stories.

So just like you see an ad after watching a few stories on Instagram, you will see ads on WhatsApp after you’ve scrolled through a few Status updates.

The company said that its ad mechanism uses signals like users’ country or city, language, and the channels they’re following, as well as data from ads that users interact with.

Meta said it is not using personally identifiable data, such as users’ phone numbers, messages, calls, and groups to serve targeted ads. If a user has added their WhatsApp account to Meta’s Account Center, the company will use their Account preferences to show ads.

#tech

threaded - newest

tux0r@feddit.org on 16 Jun 14:18 next collapse

After years of providing free services without any bells attached

Surprisingly, if the goods cost you nothing, you are the goods.

Why, exactly, do people still use WhatsApp?

Flaqueman@sh.itjust.works on 16 Jun 14:23 next collapse

Go explain to my grandma why the image I sent her isn’t in her image gallery.

tux0r@feddit.org on 16 Jun 14:24 collapse

Just another reason to use something better.

Flaqueman@sh.itjust.works on 16 Jun 15:44 collapse

“Unfortunately, life is often not a concert of wishes, and you have to make compromises”

tux0r@feddit.org on 16 Jun 16:37 collapse

Stop using my own bad English against me! However, touché.

Deebster@programming.dev on 16 Jun 14:40 next collapse

Network effect, same as for most social things. Perhaps the EU will force interoperability, but they seem more focused on “save the children” style control and monitoring.

tux0r@feddit.org on 16 Jun 14:58 collapse

Perhaps the EU will force interoperability

I hope they’ll never interoperate with Threema. Threema would have to be less secure.

ulterno@programming.dev on 16 Jun 17:18 collapse

I have tried multiple times now.
People just don’t seem to switch.
Even my work uses it, despite me trying to explain to them how insecure it is (although it is all insecure as long as we open it on Android phones anyway) and urged them to use signal or some self hosted service.

tux0r@feddit.org on 16 Jun 19:10 collapse

My own approach is that there is no way to reach me via WhatsApp. Whenever I need to reach someone who “has WhatsApp”, I’ll just use their “WhatsApp number” anyway. Only very few people seem to know that their “WhatsApp number” is equal to their SMS/iMessage number… ;-)

ulterno@programming.dev on 16 Jun 19:22 collapse

Well, I don’t have that option, as I need to be available in the company’s WhatsApp group to get work (⇒ money), which then means that I have to keep my Android phone working, despite it getting worse every update.

[deleted] on 16 Jun 14:39 next collapse

.

Feddinat0r@feddit.org on 16 Jun 14:50 next collapse

I can remember, that i paid for whatsapp… Once time payment, enshittification came…

then_three_more@lemmy.world on 16 Jun 20:09 collapse

Does anyone actually use the status/ updates tab?