Instagram drops end-to-end encrypted chats: What it means | Proton
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Instagram will drop end-to-end encrypted chats on May 8, 2026, reversing years of Meta’s push for stronger privacy. Here's what it means.

Instagram appears to be stepping back from end-to-end encrypted messaging — a surprising move after years of Meta, its parent company, promoting strong encryption as the future of private communication.

A notice on Instagram’s help pages now says end-to-end encrypted messaging on Instagram will no longer be supported after May 8, 2026. The page instructs affected users to download any chat messages or shared media they want to keep before that date.

      • Leon@pawb.socialEnglish
        4·
        1 month ago

        You cannot convince me that it was true end to end encryption. They had an eye in every chat.

        • Eager Eagle@lemmy.worldEnglish
          6·
          1 month ago

          well, they can have true E2EE and still be able to read or exfiltrate the messages, because they control both ends…

        • artyom@piefed.socialEnglish
          1·
          1 month ago

          I wouldn’t try to LOL

          But there is valid reasoning for it. The metadata is equally as valuable as the actual content. That’s why WhatsApp is so profitable. If more people are using it then it could be seen as worth the tradeoff.