Instagram update: End-to-end encryption switched off in chats

Meta has officially stopped end-to-end encryption for direct messages on Instagram. After legal disputes over the protection of minors, the company is pulling the plug. Users have to adapt.

Instagram DMs unencrypted again

As previously announced (we reported in March), Meta has turned off end-to-end encryption for direct messages on Instagram worldwide. The option will therefore end at the beginning of May 2026. With this encryption technology, only the sender and recipient can read the content sent. Neither external attackers, law enforcement authorities nor the platform operator have access to the data. Users of the platform must now prepare for reduced privacy.

Although Meta has removed the encryption feature, standard transport encryption still operates in the background. This protects the data on the way between the smartphone and the operator’s servers. The disadvantage, however, is that Meta has the digital key and can evaluate all messages in plain text.

Restructuring at Meta

If you want to archive previous confidential chats, you will receive instructions on how to download the affected media and text history directly in the app. How PC Magazine reports, the company officially justifies the step with a lack of interest. Only a tiny number of users have activated the function in the chat settings. If you want to continue communicating confidentially, Meta will refer you to WhatsApp in the future. Behind the scenes, however, massive political pressure from child protection organizations played a crucial role. Critics argued that inaccessible chat rooms provide criminals with a safe space for their activities. The conflict culminated in a lawsuit filed by the US state of New Mexico against the company. Infographic Health: Is social media bad for children and young people?

Fines in the millions

Internal documents from 2019 emerged during the court proceedings. They showed that Meta’s policy manager, Monika Bickert, warned her colleagues early on about the widespread introduction of encryption. In March 2026, a court sentenced the company to a civil penalty of $375 million for systematic violations of local consumer protection laws. Meta announced that it would appeal the verdict.