Meta has announced its plans to introduce a new broadcasting feature called Channels for its popular WhatsApp messaging service.
Channels will function as a “private broadcast service,” allowing individuals and organizations to send messages and updates to their followers separately from regular interpersonal communications on WhatsApp.
Admins overseeing a WhatsApp channel will have the ability to send text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls to their followers. However, recipients will not be able to reply to these messages. The channels will retain messages for 30 days before automatic deletion, and admins will not have the option to add followers to their channels.
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Unlike traditional WhatsApp messages, Channels will not employ end-to-end encryption. This decision enables them to reach a broader audience, according to a blog post by WhatsApp. Nevertheless, WhatsApp does mention that end-to-end encrypted channels may be introduced in the future for specific groups such as nonprofits or health organizations that prioritize secure communications.
To facilitate user discovery, WhatsApp plans to offer a searchable directory where users can find and join Channels of their interest. The Channels they follow will be accessible through a new “Updates” tab, separate from their chats with family, friends, and communities.
As part of the launch, WhatsApp is collaborating with various organizations, including the Singapore Heart Foundation and Colombia Check nonprofit, to introduce Channels in Colombia and Singapore initially. The service will subsequently be expanded to other countries later this year.
In the long run, WhatsApp intends to allow anyone to create a WhatsApp channel, expanding beyond its current launch partners, which include the International Rescue Committee and the World Health Organization.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently stated in an interview that WhatsApp represents the “next chapter” for the company, envisioning it as a lucrative business similar to Instagram and the core Facebook app.
While Meta primarily generates its revenue from online advertising, it has refrained from introducing ads on WhatsApp like it has on Facebook and Instagram. Instead, the company aims to monetize WhatsApp through business-messaging features, offering companies more engaging ways to interact with users.
In the blog post, Meta also hints at supporting channel admins in building businesses around their channels by leveraging expanding payment services and promoting selected channels in the directory to boost awareness.