We want to make it clear what it means to message with a business on WhatsApp.

Some businesses you chat with on WhatsApp may choose to use Facebook or another company to help them manage and store their messages. When a business chooses to manage their messages with another company we will let you know by showing this system message:

If a business is managing their chats by themselves, you will see this system message:

Even if a business chooses to use Facebook to host their messages, Facebook will not automatically use your messages to inform the ads that you see. Just like with any other communication channel -- like call centers or email -- businesses are able to use interactions with customers for their own marketing purposes, which may include advertising on Facebook or elsewhere. You can always contact a business to learn more about its privacy practices.

If you don’t want to receive messages from a business, you can block them directly from the chat, or delete them from your contact list.

Always private and secure

Every WhatsApp message is protected by the same Signal encryption protocol that secures messages before they leave your device. When you message a WhatsApp business account, your message is delivered securely to the destination chosen by the business.