Instagram drops end-to-end encryption for private messages

Users of Instagram will no longer be able to send ultra-private direct messages, after parent company Meta switched off end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for the platform’s messaging service worldwide.

The move marks a major reversal for Meta, which had previously positioned E2EE as the “gold standard” for user privacy.

E2EE ensures that only the sender and recipient can read messages, but it has long been criticised by child safety campaigners who argue it can make it harder to detect abuse and illegal content.

As a result, the decision has been welcomed by child protection groups but strongly criticised by privacy advocates.

With E2EE removed, Instagram will now be able to access the contents of direct messages, including text, images, videos, and voice notes.

In 2019, Meta publicly committed to rolling out encryption across its messaging platforms, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg saying, “the future is private.”

The company later completed rollout on Messenger in 2023 and made E2EE optional on Instagram, with plans to eventually make it the default. However, after years of development, it has now abandoned that direction for Instagram entirely.

According to a quiet update in March, Instagram confirmed that “End-to-end encrypted messaging on Instagram will no longer be supported after 8 May 2026. If you have chats affected by this change, you will see instructions on how to download any media or messages you may wish to keep.”

Meta said low user uptake of the feature contributed to the decision, though analysts argue optional privacy tools often struggle with adoption due to extra setup steps.

Privacy campaigners say the move is a setback. Maya Thomas of Big Brother Watch said she was “disappointed,” adding that E2EE is “one of the key ways children can keep their data safe online, so we’re concerned that Meta may be caving to government pressure.”

However, Rani Govender of the NSPCC welcomed the change, saying E2EE “can allow perpetrators to evade detection, enabling the grooming and abuse of children to go unseen.”

Experts also suggest the decision may reflect Meta’s broader shift toward monetisation and artificial intelligence development, where user data can play a key role. Cybersecurity analyst Victoria Baines noted that messaging data is “extremely valuable” for training AI models and targeting advertising.

Meta has declined to comment further, while Instagram head Adam Mosseri has not publicly addressed the reversal.

The decision comes as encryption becomes standard across most major messaging platforms, including WhatsApp, iMessage, Signal, and Facebook Messenger, raising questions about whether Instagram is moving against wider industry trends.

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