Meta is ending support for its legacy end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) chats on Instagram after May 8, 2026. The change was announced on an updated Instagram support page, and some users received in-app notifications. After this date, affected chats will become inaccessible or read-only, and users are advised to download any important messages or media they wish to keep.
The move is seen by some as potentially influenced by global pressure from governments and law enforcement agencies to gain better access to messages for detecting illegal material, such as child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Meta did not provide a specific reason for the change, leaving users and privacy advocates concerned about the implications for user privacy on the platform.