• Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has launched Channels, a broadcast-based messaging feature.
• Channels will provide organizations and entities with a platform to engage with WhatsApp’s 2 billion users.
• The feature focuses on facilitating channels for use by NGOs, medical research institutions, and fact-checking bodies, and will offer one-way conversations with text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls.

Meta, the parent company of popular messaging app WhatsApp, is expanding its communication capabilities by introducing a new feature called Channels. This broadcast-based messaging feature, similar to a recent update on Instagram, aims to provide a platform for organizations and entities to engage with WhatsApp’s massive user base of 2 billion, while also exploring potential revenue streams.

WhatsApp’s Channels feature distinguishes itself from Instagram by creating a dedicated tab called “Updates” where channel messages will be displayed. This departure from Meta’s approach on Instagram, which utilizes direct messages for channel announcements, highlights the company’s focus on facilitating channels for use by NGOs, medical research institutions, and fact-checking bodies rather than individual creators.

Administrators of Channels will have the ability to send various types of content including text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls to their audiences. However, it is important to note that these conversations will be one-way, restricting user responses to the received messages.

To join a channel, users can access an invite link. Additionally, WhatsApp is working on building a directory to help users discover channels related to their interests, hobbies, sports teams, and local officials. Meta plans to offer tools for channel administrators to disable discoverability for their channels, allowing them to maintain privacy and control.

The initial rollout of Channels will occur in select markets, starting with Colombia and Singapore. Meta has already secured partnerships with prestigious international organizations such as the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and renowned sports teams like FC Barcelona and Manchester City. Notable early adopters of the feature include the Singapore Heart Foundation and Colombia Check, a respected fact-checking organization. Meta’s future plans involve expanding the availability of the Channels feature to a broader range of countries, with the ultimate goal of enabling any user to establish their own channel.

Meta is also considering various possibilities for further enhancing the Channels feature. One such possibility is the removal of end-to-end encryption for large channels, allowing for wider audience reach and engagement. Additionally, Meta aims to monetize the feature by exploring payment services for businesses within Channels, as well as offering promotional opportunities within the directory. WhatsApp has already introduced in-app payment functionalities in Brazil and Singapore, enabling users to conveniently make payments to merchants.

Channels represents WhatsApp’s effort to facilitate large-group conversations following the launch of Communities last year. Communities aimed to provide a centralized space for clubs, schools, and residential complexes to engage in discussions. With the introduction of Channels, WhatsApp aims to position itself as the platform of choice for organizations and authorities to efficiently distribute updates and alerts to their respective user bases.