Meta recently announced that it was adding ads to WhatsApp for users around the world — a first for the platform. But, as Politico reports, the changes are not yet rolling out to users in the European Union.
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) said that WhatsApp has informed it of the delay in launching advertising for the EU until at least 2026. This is due to strict European privacy rules and regulators' concerns about the use of personal data for targeted advertising.
Meta assures that the new advertising mechanism is designed with respect for users' privacy, and will show ads inside statuses and in the feed list, similar to Instagram stories. But to show ads, they will take some personal information - city, language and how you use the application. And if your WhatsApp is linked to the Meta Accounts Center, then data from Facebook and Instagram will also be taken into account.
European regulators fear that such data transfers between platforms violate EU standards, so the DPC is starting consultations with WhatsApp and colleagues from other EU countries.
The regulator stressed that the discussion process has only just begun, so it is too early to talk about possible consequences or bans. Meanwhile, in the US, Meta is fighting an antitrust lawsuit that could lead to the separation of Instagram and WhatsApp. The company is confident in its position - it called only a few witnesses in court, which was seen as a sign of its confidence in victory. Many believe that the active launch of advertising on WhatsApp is further evidence that Meta is hoping to avoid sanctions.
Meta argues that any restriction on the integration of its platforms would hurt small businesses that rely on advertising to promote their products and services. But critics say that this level of integration is what makes the company necessary to break it up. A ruling in the case is expected soon.