Facebook Merging Apps Could Bolster Ads, Defense Against Breakup
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Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg is planning to integrate the chat tools on the WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger services, a move that could help the social media giant better tailor ads for users, and bolster its case against a breakup by regulators.
Zuckerberg’s plans, reported earlier by the New York Times, would involve stitching together the three apps’ messaging products behind the scenes, though consumers would still interact with each service separately. Facebook says the move would also enhance users’ privacy by introducing encryption to protect the messages from being viewed by anyone except those involved in the conversation.