Meta advises using WhatsApp for end-to-end encrypted messaging. Starting May 8th, Instagram will no longer support end-to-end encrypted messages. According to Meta spokesperson Dina El-Kassaby Luce, the feature is being discontinued due to low usage. Affected users have been notified in the app, and Meta has posted an update on its support page, recommending users download their E2EE chats and images before the feature is removed. El-Kassaby Luce suggests WhatsApp as an alternative for those who wish to continue using encrypted messaging.
Meta initially introduced E2EE to Instagram in 2023, following its implementation on WhatsApp and Messenger, to protect messages from third-party access, including Meta itself. However, regulatory pressures have been mounting against E2EE due to concerns about child safety. In 2024, Nevada’s Attorney General sought to ban Meta from offering E2EE to minors, while New Mexico’s AG accused Meta of compromising platform safety by hindering the detection of child exploitation through E2EE.
In the UK, regulatory challenges to E2EE are also apparent, with the government reportedly demanding backdoor access to Apple’s iCloud data, posing further threats to encrypted communications.