Popular messaging platform WhatsApp has announced plans to introduce limits on individual and business broadcast messages in an effort to curb spam on the app. The move, which will be tested in the coming weeks, aims to strike a balance between allowing users to send occasional broadcast messages without overwhelming recipients.

Under the new limits, individual users will be restricted to a monthly quota of broadcast messages, with an example limit of 30 messages per month provided by Meta. Users who need to send more messages to a large number of people will be encouraged to use Status updates or channels instead. This change marks a significant shift in WhatsApp's approach to broadcast messaging, which has previously been unlimited.

Business accounts on WhatsApp will also be affected by the changes, with the introduction of a paid version of the broadcast messaging feature. Currently, WhatsApp Business accounts can send unlimited broadcast messages for free, but this will soon change. The paid feature will come with additional tools, including the ability to schedule messages and send customized messages for product updates or holiday sales. During the pilot period, merchants will receive 250 customized messages for free, after which they will need to pay for additional messages. The pricing for these messages has not been disclosed.

The changes are part of WhatsApp's ongoing efforts to reduce spam in user inboxes. Last year, the company introduced an "unsubscribe" feature that allows users to signal they no longer wish to receive certain types of messages from a business without blocking the account. WhatsApp has also limited the number of marketing messages users can receive in a day.

The WhatsApp Business platform has become an important revenue stream for Meta, with growing revenue reported in quarterly earnings calls. The company's approach to WhatsApp Business is to provide the app for free, with features such as a landing page, business profile, and catalog creation. Meta then charges for various types of messages, including marketing, utility, service, and authentication messages, when merchants use the solution powered by its API.

The new broadcast messaging feature will be one of the first paid features for merchants who don't use APIs, providing an additional revenue source for Meta. The company is also updating the logo of its WhatsApp Business app as part of the changes.

The introduction of broadcast message limits and paid features marks a significant shift in WhatsApp's approach to monetization. While the changes are likely to be welcomed by users who have grown tired of spam messages, they may also have implications for businesses that rely on the platform for customer communication. As WhatsApp continues to evolve its features and pricing, it will be important to monitor the impact on users and businesses alike.