WhatsApp has just announced a more or less expected news that surely sounds like a lot to you: channels, “a private way to follow the topics that interest you.” That is, specific chats through which “receive important messages from people and organizations”. In other words, the channels that Telegram popularized, but on WhatsApp.

It’s exactly the same, yes, except that the channels won’t be mixed in with the rest of the chats like they do in Telegram (although you can always organize your chats into folders to keep everything better organized), but will be placed in new tab called “news”«, where you will also find the states you choose to follow.

As for the rest, yes, WhatsApp channels are traced to Telegram channels, so let me continue to quote the official WhatsApp announcement, because these words are intertwined, because it seems excessive to me. WhatsApp channels will then be “a tool for one-way transmission for admins to post text, photos, videos, stickers and polls.”

Well, yes, there is a difference in the design of WhatsApp compared to the design of Telegram, in that to facilitate the search work, they create a centralized directory to search for channels by topics, although those responsible for them will be able to promote them by sharing invitation links in the purest style… Telegram, yes.

WhatsApp also plans to make these channels the “most private streaming service” that will protect the personal information of the creators of each channel by blocking the phone number and profile photo of subscribers. In the opposite direction, administrators will not see subscriber phone numbers. Again, how it works in Telegram.

But there’s another privacy difference: channel history will be limited to 30 days, that is, the published messages will disappear after this time. In addition, administrators will be able to delete posts that disappear from subscribers’ devices sooner, as well as prevent them from taking screenshots or reposting content.

On the other hand, admins will be able to choose who watches the channel to make it visible. However, WhatsApp channels it will not have end-to-end encryptionalthough it is being considered to add it in the future so that organizations with sensitive content do not have problems using this new feature.

Of course, monetization is planned, which will offer users “the ability to support admins by offering them a way to build a business around their channel through our enhanced paid services, as well as the ability to promote certain channels in the directory to increase exposure,” they explain.

At the moment, yes, the channels will begin their rollout slowly, in specific territories such as Colombia and Singapore, and with “leading international voices and select organizations” to “create, learn and customize experiences.” Throughout few more months The feature will be rolled out to the rest of the world, so anyone who wants it can open their own WhatsApp channel.

In the meantime, if you want to see how the invention works in competition, feel free to subscribe to MC’s Telegram channel if you haven’t already. Where you’ll get everything we post in time… and anticipate what WhatsApp is up to so you don’t get caught out.