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A former product manager at WhatsApp explains Mark Zuckerberg's concept to differentiate between social media and messaging apps: living rooms and town squares:

![Image upload](https://cdn.commonstock.com/2dc1f2c453edce373d4fafdd9950dd2b3e32c865b04d530ec645510d5ad56f12-1167x335.png)

Operating in a living room or a town square has important implications for monetization.

Can messaging apps transition to a paid tier as audio and video streaming did? Remains to be seen.

Business monetization is the simpler path

![Image upload](https://cdn.commonstock.com/8778bb9ca23de17b334734191c984d4cc80381b172eed04bf977161872f729c1-900x279.png)

Hmm. I use FB messenger (not Whatsapp, though) all day. Never thought too hard about my messaging with my loved ones and friends as monetizable this way but this expert seems to have it right. Not sure how I feel about it. I guess these are the times we live in.

Joshua Simka

https://stream.alpha-sense.com/enterprise-signup/?utm_source=sponsored&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=RF_STM_Leandro&utm_content=

AlphaSense

How Mark Zuckerberg thinks about messaging and social media apps

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