WhatsApp has launched Channels, a messaging feature that allows users to follow updates from organizations and individuals they are interested in.
The move follows a similar update made to Instagram by parent company Meta, as the technology giant experiments with new communication options for its two billion users.
Channel messages will be found in a new tab called Updates, and while Meta previously required channel announcements to be transmitted via direct messages, in WhatsApp this will be a departure from that approach.
The update will focus on NGOs, medical research institutes, and authorities verifying published information. The feature will initially be launched in Singapore and Colombia, with further rollouts set for later in the year.
