Major Change to Instagram DMs as Meta Backflips on Security
Meta said the optional privacy feature had low take-up and told affected users to download their messages.
- On Friday, Instagram discontinued end-to-end encrypted direct messaging, with Meta citing underutilization of the optional feature that had been available to users since its introduction.
- Meta first introduced this security protocol on Facebook Messenger seven years ago in 2019; while the company completed a full rollout for Facebook Messenger in 2023, encryption remained an optional feature for Instagram users.
- The company did not publicly announce the termination, quietly updating terms and conditions in March; unlike the previous standard, this change allows internet service or network providers to access private messages if required.
- Rani Govender from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said E2EE "can allow perpetrators to evade detection," while Maya Thomas from Big Brother Watch told BBC she was "disappointed" by the move.
- Critics express concerns that private messages could now be open to use for artificial intelligence training, while apps like Signal, WhatsApp, and Google Messages continue utilizing end-to-end encryption as their default setting.
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End-to-End Encryption (E2EE) is a type of digital privacy protection that ensures that only the sender and recipient can read what is sent, and use messaging apps.But since this Friday, Instagram has stopped using it in its inter-user messaging service.This means that technically, Meta (the parent company) will be able to read your messages, view your photos, play your videos and listen to your voice notes.End-to-End Encryption (E2EE) has been t…
Instagram Discontinues End-to-End Encrypted Direct Messages Globally, Meta To Revert to Standard Encryption for Chats | 📲 LatestLY
US tech giant Meta has officially switched off end-to-end encrypted direct messages on Instagram, discontinuing the privacy-focused feature for users globally. The tech company said users with existing encrypted chats are being notified inside the app and urged to download any important media or messages they wish to keep before the feature is fully discontinued. 📲 Instagram Discontinues End-to-End Encrypted Direct Messages Globally, Meta To Re…
The end-to-end encryption feature on the platform is disabled for users around the world.
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