Meta says WhatsApp is testing a new placement for Status updates that will show them at the top of the app’s chats tab, with Ghana included in the limited test.
The company said the trial is designed to make Status updates easier to see before they disappear after 24 hours. Status is used by hundreds of millions of WhatsApp users every day, but Meta says people often miss updates from their contacts.
Ghana was selected for the test because of what Meta described as the country’s strong WhatsApp community and the quality of user feedback it expects to receive from people in the market.
What is changing
- The new placement will show organic Status updates from direct contacts only.
- Users will be able to minimise the Status tray by swiping down.
- Users can hide any contact’s updates at any time.
- Meta says the test does not change the privacy of personal messages, Status updates or calls.
The test points to Meta’s continued effort to increase visibility for WhatsApp Status, a feature that competes for attention with short-form and ephemeral update formats across social platforms.
For Ghana, the limited rollout also underlines the country’s relevance as a high-engagement market for consumer internet products and messaging platforms in Africa.
Key facts
- Meta is testing a new WhatsApp Status placement at the top of the chats tab.
- The test includes a number of users in Ghana.
- Status updates will remain limited to direct contacts.
- Users can minimise the Status tray or hide updates from specific contacts.
- Meta says personal messages, Status and calls remain private.
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