Meta Platforms has announced that it will discontinue end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging on Instagram starting May 8, 2026. The company said users with encrypted chats will receive instructions to download any messages or media they wish to keep before the feature is removed.
Meta explained that only a small number of users enabled encrypted direct messages on Instagram, which led to the decision to discontinue the option. Users who want end-to-end encrypted conversations will still be able to access that level of privacy on WhatsApp.
The feature was first tested in 2021 as part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s privacy-focused vision for social networking and was later expanded to some regions.
While encryption is widely praised for protecting user privacy, governments and child-safety groups argue that it can also make it harder for authorities to detect criminal activity online. The move reflects ongoing global debate over balancing privacy, security, and lawful access to digital communications.
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