Are you ready to see Facebook branding in your WhatsApp and Instagram app? Well, it seems you have no choice as the company is exerting more influence over the direction of both apps. The social network giant is going to add “Facebook” to their names. This means WhatsApp will turn into “WhatsApp from Facebook” and Instagram will to become “Instagram from Facebook.” This is not new internally as Facebook follows this approach with its Workplace app. The Information first reported the planned changes, which Facebook confirmed directly.
The new titles will appear in the title for both apps in Apple’s App Store and Google Play. On your device’s home screen, the name for each will mercifully remain the same (for now). But it’s also very likely that you’ll see “from Facebook” on the splash screen for both apps. This Facebook branding is already made this exact change with Oculus.
“We want to be clearer about the products and services that are part of Facebook,” a spokesperson told The Information. Mark Zuckerberg has already unveiled his grand vision of a connected (and end-to-end encrypted) messaging system between Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Some users have been more comfortable to know they are not using Facebook when they use WhatsApp or Instagram which has served both apps well with users. As Facebook popularity has dropped worldwide especially with younger consumers, yet both Instagram and WhatsApp have soared. This Facebook branding will definitely rub this segment the wrong way.
The flex of control is also surprising in that it comes just as Facebook faces more antitrust scrutiny in the USA by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which is said to be looking into the company’s history of acquisitions. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the FTC is examining whether Facebook’s many acquisitions were made with the goal of squashing competition. Now, two of the company’s most significant purchases will have Facebook stamped right onto their names.
