Modern messaging on smartphone devices, also referred to as chatting, is one of the go-to modes of communication for almost everyone. WhatsApp, the popular messaging app owned by Facebook, accounts for a lion’s share chatting app users.

Since its launch and with several years of incremental upgrades, WhatsApp had succeeded in providing a platform that was convenient and appealing. But that could change soon, as the company is mulling over introducing advertisements on the platform, according to reports.

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Reports are doing the rounds that WhatsApp will start pushing advertisements to start making profits from the messaging platform. WABetaInfo has even said that the company has been testing a new version that will show ads in the Stories section for iOS devices. The ads will be shown in a similar fashion as they are done on Instagram, i.e. as content in the form of stories.

Moreover, these advertisements will be targeted at an individual, which means Facebook could be using individuals’ private data to suggest ads. This is concerning as third party businesses and even governments may be able to access this otherwise private data.

The Deccan Chronicle, in a report, said that Facebook is currently developing an analytics system that will let advertisers gather data and hone content accordingly. Therefore, users will see ads according to the topics on which they chat on WhatsApp, and over the course of time the ads will become more specific to what users talk about frequently.

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In fact, fuelling the speculation is the fact that WhatsApp co-founders Brian Acton and Jan Koum recently left the company; the rumours suggest that Acton and Koum quit after Facebook pushed the idea of advertisement on the platform.

WhatsApp was reportedly conceived to be an ad-free messenger platform. However, according to reports, Facebook has been looking to earn profits off the platform, considering that it’s one of the most downloaded messaging apps in both iOS and Android spheres.