Meta is killing end-to-end encryption in Instagram DMs

Meta is discontinuing end-to-end encryption for Instagram Direct Messages (DMs), a feature that will "no longer be supported after May 8, 2026," according to a recent update on the company's support page. Unlike WhatsApp, where end-to-end encryption is a default and universal setting, Instagram DMs never offered it to all users nor was it a standard feature. Instead, users in "some areas" had the option to manually activate encryption on a per-chat basis.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed that the feature is being phased out due to minimal user engagement. "Very few people were opting in to end-to-end encrypted messaging in DMs, so we're removing this option from Instagram in the coming months," the spokesperson stated, advising that "Anyone who wants to keep messaging with end-to-end encryption can easily do that on WhatsApp.”

Notably, Meta's announcement did not address the status of encryption on Messenger. Messenger began rolling out end-to-end encryption as a default setting in 2023, following years of development. Its current support page indicates that the company "is in the process of securing personal messages with end-to-end encryption by default."

Meta's approach to encrypted messaging has evolved significantly over the years. The company first implemented encryption for WhatsApp chats in 2016. In 2019, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a "privacy-focused" revamp of Meta's applications, asserting at the time that "implementing end-to-end encryption for all private communications is the right thing to do." However, in 2021, Meta's head of safety announced a delay in the encryption rollout until 2023, citing the need to develop more robust safety features.

Meta's use of encryption has faced consistent criticism from law enforcement and various child safety organizations. These groups argue that encryption complicates efforts to identify predators targeting children on social media. This topic has frequently arisen during a recent child safety trial in New Mexico. Internal documents that surfaced during the trial reveal ongoing discussions among Meta executives and researchers concerning the delicate trade-offs between user safety and privacy in relation to encryption.

During his televised testimony at the trial, Zuckerberg explained that safety issues were "a large part of the reason why it took so long" to implement encryption in Messenger. He added, "There's been debate about this, but I think the majority of folks, from people who use our products to people who are involved in security overall, believe that strong encryption is positive."