London: Instagram will discontinue end-to-end encryption for private messages from May 8, 2026, following years of criticism from law enforcement agencies and child safety organisations.
The decision was quietly announced by parent company Meta through updates on Instagram’s help pages and a revised 2022 blog post.
Once the change takes effect, Meta will be able to access the contents of all direct messages between users, something that was previously limited to chats where encryption had not been enabled.
A Meta spokesperson said that the decision was based on low adoption of the feature, noting that only a small number of users had opted into end-to-end encrypted messaging. Users seeking encrypted communication were advised to use WhatsApp, where the feature continues to be available.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had initially announced plans in 2019 to introduce end-to-end encryption across the company’s platforms, though implementation only began in 2023.
The encryption initiative had faced sustained criticism from an alliance of global law enforcement and child safety groups, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Interpol, the UK’s National Crime Agency, and the Australian Federal Police. These organisations argued that strong encryption could hinder efforts to monitor and prevent online harms, particularly those involving child safety.
A spokesperson for Australia’s eSafety Commissioner’s office acknowledged that while strong encryption is important for privacy and security, platforms must also implement measures to prevent, detect, and respond to harmful activities.
They warned that encryption without adequate safeguards could increase risks, including child sexual exploitation, terrorism, and violent extremism, and stressed that platforms remain responsible for user safety regardless of design choices.
Tom Sulston, Head of Policy at Digital Rights Watch, suggested that the move may reflect a broader strategic shift by Meta, potentially stepping back from plans to unify messaging across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.
Sulston noted that WhatsApp’s continued use of encryption could indicate a clearer separation between social media platforms, where users can discover one another, and messaging services, which typically require prior connections.
The Head also pointed to possible commercial motivations, suggesting that access to message content could support targeted advertising and the development of AI-driven tools such as chatbots. While he noted there is no confirmation that Meta is currently using messages in this way, he said the commercial incentives are significant.
The broader trend in the tech industry should be toward strengthening encryption rather than reducing it, arguing that improving privacy features would better serve users than weakening them.
ALSO READ | Alibaba unveils Wukong AI platform; Boosting agent race
