Facebook introduces ads to Messenger

Facebook is largely becoming a pay-to-play social media platform, with a multitude of advertising options.

Soon, brand managers will be able to add videos within Messenger to the list of ways to reach audiences using Facebook.

In an article titled, “Your Messenger experience might soon get much more annoying,” Quartz reported:

The ads, which will automatically start playing as you scroll through your messages, start rolling out Monday to a small group of users, a spokesperson told Quartz. The company recognizes Messenger is a different environment than Facebook’s other products like the News Feed on Facebook’s main app, or Instagram, where ads have become a mainstay and may feel less intrusive. “We will be rolling out video ads gradually and thoughtfully,” Facebook said in a statement provided to Quartz. “People that use Messenger each month are our top priority and they will remain in control of their experience.”

But remaining “in control” does not mean you’ll be able to opt out of Messenger ads altogether—it just means you can hide a given ad, report it, or manage your targeting preferences, like on any other Facebook app.