One of Mark Zuckerberg's promises over the past few years is finally being realized. Since its acquisition in 2014, WhatsApp maintained a degree of independence from Facebook, Instagram, and more recently Threads, which have been increasingly integrated. This separation is ending as WhatsApp is now integrated into Meta's Accounts Center, a hub introduced in 2020 to streamline the management of its various online services.
This new feature will enable users to link their WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Meta Quest accounts. Not only will this create a significant pool of data for the American company, but users will also be able to share their WhatsApp statuses as Stories on Instagram and Facebook. Additionally, managing identifiers across platforms will be simplified, allowing Facebook IDs to be used to access WhatsApp and vice versa.
On a more anecdotal note, Meta also plans to gradually enhance the user experience on WhatsApp, enabled by the integration into the Accounts Center. Features like avatar management, AI-powered stickers from Meta AI, and personalized creations via Imagine Me are on the horizon. Each user will receive updates with warnings regarding these changes. Meanwhile, several cosmetic features have already been rolled out in France. Regarding privacy, Meta assures that WhatsApp messages and calls will remain end-to-end encrypted, even for accounts linked through the hub. This is crucial as Meta seeks to comply with local regulations, especially in Europe, before fully embracing a complete interoperable ecosystem.
