Instagram Switches Off Private Messaging Feature

Instagram users will no longer be able to send ultra-private direct messages, as the feature is switched off globally. The removal of end-to-end encryption (E2EE) on messages amounts to a major U-turn by parent company Meta, which previously championed the tech as the gold standard for user privacy. E2EE is the most secure form of online messaging, allowing only the sender and recipient to view messages.

However, it has long been opposed by campaigners who say it allows extreme content to be spread online without the authorities being able to intervene. This decision has been welcomed by groups including children's charities but condemned by privacy advocates. By switching off E2EE, Instagram will now be able to access all the content of direct messages, including images, videos, and voice notes.

In 2019, Meta pledged to introduce the technology across messaging on Facebook and Instagram, saying "the future is private". The company completed the rollout on Facebook Messenger in 2023 and later made the feature optional on Instagram with plans to make it default. However, after seven years, Meta has decided not to proceed with the wider deployment to Instagram, which will now only offer standard encryption.

Standard encryption means an internet service provider can access private material if needed. The decision has been welcomed by child protection groups, including the NSPCC, which has long warned the technology could put children at risk. "We are really pleased," said Rani Govender from the charity, adding E2EE "can allow perpetrators to evade detection, enabling the grooming and abuse of children to go unseen." Privacy campaigners, however, say the move represents a step backwards.

Maya Thomas from Big Brother Watch was "disappointed" by the decision and said E2EE was "one of the key ways children can keep their data safe online, so we're concerned that Meta may be caving to government pressure." Meta told reporters the decision was taken because too few users were opting in to use the feature. However, commentators say take-up of optional features is often low, as requiring users to opt in creates extra friction. Some analysts believe the decision reflects a shift in Meta's attitude towards privacy, with social media platforms monetizing communications to serve targeted advertising and train AI models.