Meta to End Instagram End-to-End Encryption for DMs

MEDIANAMA – 13 Mar 26

Meta to End Instagram End-to-End Encryption for DMs

Instagram will end E2EE for direct messages in May 2026. The decision could allow Meta to scan messages for harmful content.

Est. reading time: 3 minutes

What remains unclear

• Whether the removal applies to calls within encrypted chats or only to messages. The Help Center announcement explicitly mentions messaging, but not calls.

• Whether Facebook Messenger will also lose E2EE.

• Whether messages sent before May 8 will remain protected.

• The exact regulatory or business trigger for this decision.

Might be the first time I read of a service removing E2EE after adopting it. Hopefully this doesn’t start more services dropping it.

Usually I assume that E2EE is beneficial to the service as well, because it means they don’t have to bother working with law enforcement plus don’t get the bad press of sharing information.