Instagram to discontinue end-to-end encryption for DMs

Instagram to discontinue end-to-end encryption for DMs [Update: Meta's statement] Close Close By Karandeep Singh Oberoi Published Mar 13, 2026, 12:50 PM EDT Karandeep Singh Oberoi is a Durham College Journalism and Mass Media graduate who joined the Android Police team in April 2024, after serving as a full-time News Writer at Canadian publication MobileSyrup. Prior to joining Android Police, Oberoi worked on feature stories, reviews, evergreen articles, and focused on 'how-to' resources. Additionally, he informed readers about the latest deals and discounts with quick hit pieces and buyer's guides for all occasions. Oberoi lives in Toronto, Canada. When not working on a new story, he likes to hit the gym, play soccer (although he keeps calling it football for some reason🤔) and try out new restaurants in the Greater Toronto Area. Sign in to your Android Police account Add Us On follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap UPDATE: 2026/03/13 14:55 EST BY KARANDEEP SINGH OBEROI Here's what Meta has to say about the change: "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. Anyone who wants to keep messaging with end-to-end encryption can easily do that on WhatsApp." Original article below... Can you imagine a world where WhatsApp stops offering end-to-end encryption (E2EE)? That's not happening, but a different Meta-owned company, which has formerly offered E2EE on direct messages (DMs), is pulling the plug on message privacy. Related What is end-to-end encryption? How can an app send messages that only you can decode? Posts By Rachit Agarwal Soon after facing privacy concerns with its Meta AI smart glasses, the conglomerate is giving birth to new privacy concerns by announcing the end of Instagram's E2EE for DMs . The development was highlighted in an Instagram Help Center update, as pointed out by PiunikaWeb . End-to-end encrypted messaging on Instagram will no longer be supported after May 8, 2026. If you have chats that are impacted by this change, you will see instructions on how you can download any media or messages you may want to keep. If you're on an older version of Instagram, you may also need to update the app before you can download your affected chats. The trade-off The company offered no reason behind the big change. It is also unclear if Instagram might be shifting to a different kind of message encryption tech. Removing E2EE means Meta will be able to access your private messages. The change could be tied to mounting global pressure and could be a way for Meta to scan for illegal material, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), which seems to be a big problem on Instagram. By removing encryption, the tech giant can: Proactively scan messages to identify and flag illegal material. Provide messages to legal authorities when prompted. Make it easier to take action on user reports. Although its reasoning might be moral, the change is sure to make privacy advocates, and even everyday users, uneasy. The change could also trigger a mass exodus from Instagram DMs as users transition to more hardened alternatives. The change will kick in on May 8, 2026. Instagram suggests exporting your data , including chat media and logs, before the big transition. We'll have more to report once Instagram widely announces the change and the reasoning behind it. Entertainment Instagram Follow Followed Like Share Facebook X WhatsApp Threads Bluesky LinkedIn Reddit Flipboard Copy link Email Close Trending Now Minimalist phones are finally worth buying, and it's all thanks to this one change Google's handy tool can now remove your most sensitive info from search results How to find your WhatsApp backups in Google Drive