For the first time since its launch in 2009, WhatsApp is getting ads. This week, the app’s parent company Meta quietly began to roll out ads in the messaging platform, and while these ads won’t appear in your private messages or group chats, they’re appearing in an area you might not know exists. WhatsApp calls this “the most peaceful ad placement possible.” The update has been rolling out gradually, and the social media giant says ads will only be appearing in “select countries and devices” for now. Meta says it plans to bring the ads to more people over time.

WhatsApp claims that 1.5 billion people use the Updates tab daily. This means that a lot of eyes are on that page, making it a potential treasure trove for advertisers. However, if you use WhatsApp only for chatting, you may never see an ad. But if you use the Updates tab often, you may see something different.

The ads are coming in three flavors. First, there are ads that appear in the Status section. As you scroll through your feed, which includes photo, video, and text updates from friends that disappear after 24 hours, you’ll now see promotional content from companies. These ads look and act like normal statuses — except they’re from companies. Users can click through to message the business.

Next, WhatsApp is adding promoted channels, which are similar to Twitter’s promoted accounts. Admins can pay to boost their content to get it in front of more users. This will be an additional way for companies and creators to gain more followers directly inside WhatsApp, which hasn’t been possible until now.

Lastly, Meta is testing out a subscription model for channels, meaning that businesses can charge users a monthly fee for access to content. For example, a user might pay to follow a cooking channel that sends out subscriber-only recipes and tips. It’s another revenue stream for WhatsApp and a way for brands and creators to make money.

So, what does this mean for your privacy? This is what people will want to know the most, as WhatsApp has built its reputation on being a private, secure platform. Meta is taking a slow approach, saying that targeting won’t rely on exact data, such as location, but will instead use more generic info, such as country code, language, age group, and city. WhatsApp is also relying on your engagement behavior with channels and statuses to tailor the ads shown. So, for example, it will know what type of content you follow, how you engage with posts, and which ads you click on.

Additionally, all of your personal messages are still end-to-end encrypted. WhatsApp says it won’t read your messages or use that data for ad purposes. However, if you’re using other Meta products, like Instagram or Facebook, there’s a feature called Accounts Center. When you link your WhatsApp account to this, Meta can then use cross-platform data to personalize your ad experience. This is opt-in and can be disconnected at any time.

WhatsApp will also have tools for users to see why a specific ad was shown to them, block certain advertisers, or report an ad that doesn’t seem right. WhatsApp is trying to make the process as easy — and optional — as possible.

Behind all of this is a larger strategy from Meta. WhatsApp, which boasts more than 2 billion global users, hasn’t contributed much to Meta’s ad machine. WhatsApp’s main source of revenue is its Business Platform, which is a paid service that lets businesses communicate with customers, and its “click-to-WhatsApp” ads on Facebook and Instagram. But that’s changing. In a call with analysts, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that WhatsApp’s Business Platform is a significant source of revenue, and now, by adding ads directly in WhatsApp, Meta is making the app contribute more.

Alice Newton Rex, WhatsApp’s VP of Product, said that this move was “the next natural evolution.” Businesses have asked for ways to reach users directly in the app, and this new ad system is Meta’s answer. With other social platforms like Reddit and Discord dipping their toes into ad models, the trend is clear. Social apps, even those built on privacy-first principles, are finding ways to add ads without annoying their users.

Meta acquired WhatsApp for $16 billion back in 2014. For years, the app has been left untouched by Meta’s ad machine. But with ads more important than ever — Meta earns around 98 percent of its revenue from ads — WhatsApp was always bound to be next. This is the start of a new era for the platform.

For users, this change may be unnoticeable — especially if they don’t use the Updates tab. But for WhatsApp and Meta, it’s a significant shift. One that reflects the pressures of the economic climate and the need for growth from investors.

Ads on WhatsApp are no longer theoretical — they’re real, and they’re here. The experience is still mostly untouched for now. But with Meta at the wheel, this could just be the beginning of WhatsApp’s evolution into a full-fledged commercial platform.