Instagram Ends Support for End-to-End Encrypted DMs
The rollback signals rising pressure on tech firms to scan messages for harmful content.
Overview
- Instagram ended end-to-end encryption for direct messages on May 8, removing a privacy layer that kept only senders and recipients able to read chats.
- Meta disclosed the shift through March Help Centre and terms updates and said few users opted into the optional encrypted mode.
- Affected users are getting in-app prompts to download messages and media, yet Meta has not said what will happen to older encrypted chats.
- Child-safety groups such as the NSPCC praised the change, while privacy advocates including Big Brother Watch warned it weakens protections for users.
- WhatsApp remains encrypted by default, and analysts link Instagram’s move to mounting legal and safety demands, including a U.S. law taking effect May 19 that speeds removal of intimate images.