Meta has decided to stop the end-to-end encryption feature for chats on Instagram starting May 8, 2026. The company confirmed this change in a help document and advised users to download any messages or media from encrypted chats before the deadline.
A spokesperson for Meta said that only a small number of users were choosing to use end-to-end encrypted messaging in Instagram direct messages, which is why the company plans to remove the option in the coming months. The company suggested that people who want secure encrypted messaging should use WhatsApp, where end-to-end encryption is still a main feature.
This step is seen as a major shift from the privacy plan introduced by Mark Zuckerberg in 2019. At that time, he had presented a “privacy-focused vision” that aimed to expand end-to-end encryption across all Meta platforms. Meta started testing encrypted chats on Instagram in 2021 and later expanded the feature to users in Ukraine and Russia in 2022. However, the feature was never turned on by default and was available only in certain regions.
The decision also comes during an ongoing debate among technology companies and regulators about the effects of encryption. Recently, TikTok told the BBC that it does not plan to introduce end-to-end encryption. The company said such technology might actually reduce user safety because it can make it harder to detect harmful content, especially for young users.
A report by Reuters also revealed that Meta had received internal warnings in 2019 that large-scale encryption could make it harder for the company to report illegal content, such as child abuse material and terrorist propaganda, to law enforcement authorities.
Supporters of encryption believe it is an important way to protect user privacy and prevent data from being intercepted. However, law enforcement agencies have often raised concerns about what they call the “Going Dark” problem, where strong encryption makes it difficult for authorities to access information even with legal permission.
Because of this ongoing debate, the European Commission is preparing a Technology Roadmap on encryption later this year to find a balance between protecting privacy rights and allowing legal access for investigators.
