WhatsApp | History & Facts

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href="https://cdn.britannica.com/15/242715-050-A7F55FDE/WhatsApp-cellphone-icon.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/2209769/279522"> <picture> <source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/15/242715-050-A7F55FDE/WhatsApp-cellphone-icon.jpg?w=300"> <img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/15/242715-050-A7F55FDE/WhatsApp-cellphone-icon.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop" alt="WhatsApp on smartphone home screen." loading="eager" /> </picture> <button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"> <em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em> </button> </a> </div> <figcaption class="card-body"> <div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"> <span> <a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/15/242715-050-A7F55FDE/WhatsApp-cellphone-icon.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2209769/279522">WhatsApp on smartphone home screen.</a> <span><span>WhatsApp users can send text and voice messages on the platform. WhatsApp supports live voice and video chat as well.</span></span> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <span class="link-blue">(more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div><div class="topic-header"> <div class="d-flex align-items-top justify-content-between"> <div class="d-flex flex-column"> <div> <div> <h1>WhatsApp</h1></div> </div> <div class="topic-identifier font-16 font-md-20">messaging application</div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-flex flex-row"> <div class="mr-10 mb-15"> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 px-sm-5 px-md-10 js-inline-ai-ask-button"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="d-block md-topic-tools qa-action-buttons mb-15" data-topic-id="2209769"> <button class="js-tooltip btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border pr-10 border-2 text-nowrap" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="more_vert"></em> More Actions </button> <div class="md-more-popover popover popover-sm p-0 font-14 z-1"> <div> <a class="js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" href="/print/article/2209769" target="_blank" > <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="print"></em> Print </a> </div> <div> <button class="js-modal qa-cite-modal-button btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=2209769] .md-cite-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="verified"></em> Cite </button> <div class="md-cite-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom mb-15"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10">verified</em>Cite </div> <div class="font-serif"> While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-25T00:00:00CST" >Feb 25, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/WhatsApp/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/21/watchdog-launches-investigation-into-andrew-gwynne-over-offensive-whatsapp-messages" rel="nofollow">Watchdog investigates Andrew Gwynne over offensive WhatsApp messages</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 21, 2025, 9:05 PM ET (The Guardian) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/feb/21/woman-who-claimed-to-be-madeleine-mccann-charged-with-stalking" rel="nofollow">Woman who claimed to be Madeleine McCann charged with stalking</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 21, 2025, 2:03 AM ET (The Guardian) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/feb/21/keir-starmer-defence-spending-david-lammy-g20-scottish-labour-party-conference-uk-politics-latest-updates-news" rel="nofollow">Andrew Gwynne under investigation by parliamentary watchdog over WhatsApp group – as it happened</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 20, 2025, 4:32 AM ET (The Guardian) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2025/02/19/whatsapp-exceeds-eu-user-threshold/79216239007/" rel="nofollow">WhatsApp faces EU tech rules after reaching very large platform status</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 19, 2025, 9:45 AM ET (USA Today) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/west-bengal-village-residents-claim-fatwa-bans-music-sdo-probe-9840971/" rel="nofollow">After residents of Bengal village claim ‘fatwa banning music’ issued, SDO orders probe</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 17, 2025, 10:40 PM ET (The Indian Express) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref1312261"></span>WhatsApp</strong>, free messaging <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/application-software" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">application</a> owned by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/Meta-Platforms" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Meta</a> (formerly <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/Facebook" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Facebook</a>). Users can send text and voice messages on the platform or communicate live via voice or video chat. WhatsApp also supports location and image sharing. The service is primarily used on <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/mobile-telephone" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">mobile phones</a>, as it requires a mobile phone number to sign up, but the platform can be accessed via a computer’s <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/Internet" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Internet</a> browser as well.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="feature-block callout"><div class="font-weight-bold"><strong>What do you think?</strong></div><ul><li><div><strong><a href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/social-media-debate" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Does social media spur digital addiction and other ills?</a> </strong></div></li></ul><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong>Explore the ProCon debate</strong></p></div><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">WhatsApp was founded in 2009 by <span id="ref1313719"></span>Brian Acton and <span id="ref1313718"></span>Jan Koum. Koum, a Ukrainian immigrant who had just begun <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="attending" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/attending" data-type="EB">attending</a> classes at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/San-Jose-California" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">San Jose</a> State University, and Acton, a Stanford-educated programmer, met while Acton was working for Internet pioneer <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/Yahoo-Inc" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Yahoo!</a> in 1997. Koum was soon offered a job with the Mountain View, California-based company, where the duo grew close. They left Yahoo! in 2007, and in 2009 Koum created WhatsApp for the Apple <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/iPhone" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">iPhone</a> with encouragement from Acton. While initially intended to track users’ work statuses, notifying their contacts of their availability, it quickly morphed into a messaging platform, as its early user base took to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/mobile-app" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">app’s</a> ability to send notifications to other users.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Acton joined Koum at WhatsApp shortly after its launch and secured $250,000 in seed funding. The app officially launched for the iPhone in late 2009. Soon after, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/BlackBerry-wireless-device" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">BlackBerry</a>- and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/Android-operating-system" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Android</a>-compatible versions were released. About this time, WhatsApp became a paid service. It quickly rose through the Apple App Store charts and, in 2011, received an $8 million investment from Sequoia Capital in exchange for 15 percent ownership. In 2013 Sequoia <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="invested" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/invested" data-type="EB">invested</a> another $50 million as the app topped 200 million active users. WhatsApp’s popularity stemmed from its ability to communicate across platforms (e.g., from Apple devices to Android devices) and internationally.</p><div class="module-spacing"> </div><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="279523" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/16/242716-050-34DEAC77/Meta-headquarters-facebook-Menlo-Park-California-2023.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/2209769/279523"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/16/242716-050-34DEAC77/Meta-headquarters-facebook-Menlo-Park-California-2023.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/16/242716-050-34DEAC77/Meta-headquarters-facebook-Menlo-Park-California-2023.jpg?w=300" alt="Meta" data-width="1600" data-height="930" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/16/242716-050-34DEAC77/Meta-headquarters-facebook-Menlo-Park-California-2023.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2209769/279523">Meta</a><span>Meta, formerly Facebook, announced microblogging platform Threads in 2023, claiming that it would be made compatible with ActivityPub.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">In 2014, though the company had lost $138 million the prior year, Facebook acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion. In 2016 WhatsApp abandoned its paid model and enabled video calls. That same year, users reading updated terms and conditions discovered that WhatsApp would begin sharing user data with Facebook, which Facebook would use to create targeted ads. However, Facebook had had access to this data since 2014. As a result, Facebook was fined €110 million (about $122 million) by the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/European-Commission" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">European Commission</a>. Soon after, WhatsApp introduced end-to-end encryption, though its policies continue to be scrutinized by privacy advocates. In 2017 Acton left the company and invested heavily in a new messaging service called Signal, which he felt would better prioritize the total privacy of its users. In 2018 Koum stepped down as CEO of WhatsApp after almost a decade in charge. In the years since, WhatsApp has added several features on top of its basic messaging and calling, including stickers and group calls.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">WhatsApp has been criticized for allowing the spread of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/misinformation-and-disinformation" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">misinformation</a> on its platform. In one series of particularly <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="egregious" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/egregious" data-type="MW">egregious</a> cases, false rumors of children being abducted circulated in Indian WhatsApp circles. At least 18 people labeled as abductors were killed by lynch mobs seeking <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="vengeance" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vengeance" data-type="MW">vengeance</a>. WhatsApp was also criticized for <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="facilitating" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/facilitating" data-type="MW">facilitating</a> the spread of misinformation about <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/COVID-19" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">COVID-19</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">While WhatsApp has been lauded by some groups for its end-to-end encryption, it has also been denounced for giving a platform to extremists. For example, the 2015 Paris attacks carried out by the terrorist group <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Islamic-State-in-Iraq-and-the-Levant" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL; also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria [ISIS])</a> were likely plotted, at least in part, on WhatsApp. The platform has also likely been used to coordinate <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/human-trafficking" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">human trafficking</a>. Police forces around the globe have lobbied for access to WhatsApp’s data, claiming that it would allow them to prevent extremist attacks and disrupt illegal trafficking. The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Federal-Bureau-of-Investigation" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Federal Bureau of Investigation</a> in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">United States</a> claimed it used WhatsApp surveillance to foil a plot to assassinate former president <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-W-Bush" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">George W. Bush</a>. This kind of individual tracking, despite its value in some cases, remains controversial.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Though WhatsApp is used in 180 countries, some governments have taken a stance against it. Longer-term bans largely stem from anti-American or anti-western <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="sentiment" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sentiment" data-type="MW">sentiment</a>, while shorter bans often come during times of crisis, when governments shut down communication in order to curb use of the app by protestors. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/China" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">China</a> has fully blocked use of the app since 2017. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Iran" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Iran</a>, citing Meta CEO <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/Mark-Zuckerberg" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mark Zuckerberg</a>’s <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="alleged" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alleged" data-type="MW">alleged</a> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zionism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Zionism</a>, has also banned the use of WhatsApp.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=august-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">As of 2021, WhatsApp boasts more than 2.2 billion users worldwide. It is most popular in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/India" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">India</a>, with 487 million users, followed by Brazil, with 118.5 million users, and Indonesia, with 84.8 million users. WhatsApp’s widespread usage makes it the most popular messaging app in the world, with nearly 800 million more users than the next most popular competitor, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/WeChat" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">WeChat</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature font-12"><a href="/contributor/roland-martin/12876944">Roland Martin</a></span> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":2209769,"pageLength":779,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.36"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.36' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"D","adLeg":"D","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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