Meta has announced plans to introduce personalized advertising on WhatsApp by leveraging user data from its other platforms, Facebook and Instagram, drawing sharp criticism from privacy advocates and legal experts in Europe. The move marks a significant shift for WhatsApp, which originally promised an ad-free experience and minimal data sharing.
Meta’s Integration Strategy
Meta’s latest plan deepens the interoperability between its platforms, enabling cross-service data usage to target users with ads. This strategic alignment strengthens Meta’s commercial grip by extending its highly profitable ad business to WhatsApp, one of the most widely used messaging platforms in the EU, Tech Crunch reports.
The strategy mirrors the company’s controversial “Pay or Okay” model already deployed on Instagram and Facebook, where users must either pay to avoid personalized ads or accept data tracking. By expanding this model to WhatsApp, Meta appears to be testing the limits of European data protection laws.
As of 2025, WhatsApp has over 2.8 billion monthly active users globally, solidifying its position as the world’s leading messaging app. Its largest market is India, with over 500 million users, followed by Brazil, Indonesia, and much of Europe, where it has 300–400 million users.
In contrast, its U.S. user base is relatively small at around 80 million. WhatsApp’s strong presence in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and South Asia makes it a key driver of Meta’s international growth and monetization efforts.
Legal and Regulatory Pushback
The European Centre for Digital Rights (noyb), led by privacy activist Max Schrems, has strongly condemned the move. Max Schrems argues that Meta’s practice violates both the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA). These laws require companies to obtain freely given consent before processing personal data for advertising or linking data across services.
Max Schrems notes that Meta’s “Pay or Okay” approach effectively forces users to choose between privacy and affordability, making the consent neither free nor valid. The European Commission has already signaled that this model is likely non-compliant, yet Meta has made only minimal adjustments and continues its rollout.
WhatsApp’s Shift from Privacy Promise
Until 2016, WhatsApp had cost US$1 per year. Meta charges €9.99 for using Instagram or Facebook without ads.
WhatsApp, which once charged a nominal annual fee and marketed itself as a privacy-centric service, now faces a complete strategic reversal. Meta’s intent to monetize the platform using personal data — especially in the EU, its largest market by purchasing power — raises concerns that WhatsApp is now fully embedded in Meta’s data-driven ecosystem.
Critics argue this development shows Meta’s disregard for EU law, especially amid ongoing tensions between US tech giants and European regulators. “Meta is doing exactly the opposite of what EU law requires… the lack of enforcement is painfully obvious,” Max Schrems said.
Industry Impact and Future Legal Action
noyb has vowed to investigate Meta’s latest policy changes and pursue legal action if the WhatsApp integration violates EU laws. The group anticipates another major legal battle and a potential user backlash, possibly driving users to alternatives like Signal, which operates on a non-profit, donation-funded model.
“We expect that Meta’s push to show ads on WhatsApp will lead to the next big exodus to Signal,” Max Schrems said.
As scrutiny intensifies, the case underscores growing concerns about digital sovereignty, monopolistic practices, and user rights in the EU, potentially setting the stage for a broader confrontation between regulators and Big Tech.
TelecomLead.com News Desk
