Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta is ‘killing’ one of the biggest Instagram features: Reason and what it means for users

Meta has announced that it is pulling the plug on end-to-end encrypted direct messages on Instagram. This move will remove one of the platform’s most significant privacy protections. According to an update on Meta’s support page, the feature will “no longer be supported after May 8, 2026”. End-to-end encryption has been one of Meta’s most debated features – praised for privacy but criticised by law enforcement and child safety groups who argue it shields bad actors from detection.

Why Meta is removing end-to-end messaging on Instagram