Facebook appears to be "disowning" plans to sell ads that will run on the WhatsApp app, a messaging service that is popular across Europe.
"Wall Street Journal" said the team behind the efforts have been shattered in recent months and all their work so far has effectively “removed the WhatsApp code”. However, Facebook still wants to return ads to WhatsApp as an object as part of its goal to monetize the app.
We've known for months now that Facebook-owned WhatsApp will soon be followed by its chat and peer-to-peer social apps in offering ads. The company has confirmed that in 2018 they will appear in the status feature (which is like Facebook or Instagram stories), but it hasn't revealed when they will start. Then, last May, Facebook announced quietly ads will arrive by 2020.
But it seems that now WhatsApp will remain without ads. There is no word on when plans to integrate ads will resume. We look forward to your comment.
Facebook acquired the service in 2014 for $22 billion. Since then, WhatsApp's co-founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, have both left the company. Acton even criticized Facebook of the app, user privacy, and targeted advertising policies. Koum and Acton were reportedly concerned about Facebook diluting WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption, too.
However, Facebook is plowing ahead, doing what it wants with WhatsApp. Most recently, CEO Mark Zuckerberg opened up Facebook wants to merge Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram messaging. Is it possible that the buildup of WhatsApp for advertising interferes with sleep? Or maybe it's hard for her to maintain encryption while also providing ads? It's too early to tell.
For more about WhatsApp, including the best tips and tricks, read the guide.