Overview
- Instagram, which switched off optional end-to-end encryption on Friday, now uses standard encryption that lets Meta technically access texts, photos, videos, and voice notes sent in DMs.
- Meta says very few people opted in to encrypted chats and directs users who want end-to-end privacy to WhatsApp, which keeps encryption on by default.
- Users with affected threads saw in-app prompts to download messages and media, though experts say it remains unclear whether old encrypted chats will be converted to regular history or deleted; save any exports locally rather than to cloud services to avoid exposing unencrypted data.
- The rollback lands days before platforms must run takedown systems under the U.S. Take It Down Act, a law that requires removal of reported non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours and empowers the FTC to enforce compliance.
- Child-safety groups such as the NSPCC welcomed the shift for easier detection of abuse, while privacy advocates condemned it as a major retreat and warned the change lowers barriers to internal access and potential uses like moderation or AI, which Meta says does not include training on DMs.