Meta is ending its support for end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging on Instagram starting May 8, 2026. The company claims low adoption rates led to the decision, but experts question this reasoning.
In reality, users must manually toggle on E2EE in chat settings before sending messages. A prominent cryptographer criticized Meta’s change, citing a previous public commitment to rolling out E2EE as default and its human rights impact assessment that supports fundamental human rights.
This move comes at a time when Meta is collecting data from private conversations with its AI tools, which can’t be used for advertising if encrypted messages are removed. While WhatsApp still offers E2EE on by default, this decision highlights the limitations of ad-supported platforms’ privacy features.
Meta’s choice to remove E2EE is convenient for the company but raises concerns about user data collection and control. It remains unclear whether Meta will face significant backlash or paywall encrypted messaging behind its paid program like X.
Source: https://9to5mac.com/2026/03/17/security-bite-your-instagram-dms-were-likely-never-encrypted-to-begin-with