# WhatApp launches Channels for organisations to keep in touch with followers

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/09/28/whatapp-launches-channels-for-organisations-to-keep-in-touch-with-followers/
- Published: 2023-09-28T10:23:07+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**WhatsApp Channels has launched, billed as ‘A private way to follow what matter’.**

Channels are a one-way broadcast tool for admins to send text, photos, videos, stickers,
and polls. They are available in a new tab called Updates, which is separate from
chats with family, friends, and communities. People can select what to follow from
a searchable directory, and can also join a channel from an invite link.

UNICEF is already on there and its official channel has 2.7mn followers, while the
World Health Organisation has 3.6mn. In the UK, football clubs are among those to
have already adopted it, with Man City having 8.1mn followers, and Liverpool 6.8mn.

## Advertisement

Channel admins’ phone number and profile photo remain private and are not shown 
to followers. Likewise, channel followers’ phone number also remain private and 
are not visible to the admin or other followers.

In its [announcement of Channels](https://blog.whatsapp.com/introducing-whatsapp-channels-a-private-way-to-follow-what-matters),
WhatsApp also said that it will only store channel history on its servers for up
to 30 days and will enable updates to disappear faster than this from followers’
devices. Admins will also have the option to block screenshots and forwards from
their channel, and to decide who can follow their channel and whether they want 
their channel to be discoverable in the directory or not.

WhatApp states though that: _“Given the aim of Channels is to reach a wide audience,
channels are not end-to-end encrypted by default. We do think there are some cases
where end-to-end encrypted channels to a limited audience might make sense, such
as a non profit or health organization, and we’re exploring this as a future option
as well.”_

 * **[What is Web 2.0?](https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/07/20/what-web-20/)** (20
   July 2007)
 * **[New opportunity for MySpace fundraising](https://fundraising.co.uk/2007/10/13/new-opportunity-myspace-fundraising/)**(
   13 October 2007)
 * **[Help with writing your Social Media guidelines – from over 70 different organisations](https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/09/22/help-writing-your-social-media-guidelines-over-70-different-organisations/)**(
   22 September 2009)

## Comments

### By: HowardLake

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2023/09/28/whatapp-launches-channels-for-organisations-to-keep-in-touch-with-followers/#comment-4585
- Published: 2024-01-10T08:16:05+00:00

Unicef’s WhatsApp channel has grown from 2.7 million followers in September 2023
to 4.8 million followers now in January 2024\.