The farewell to end-to-end encryption on Instagram DMs has been a slow one. Meta confirmed the feature will be officially removed on May 8, 2026, through a low-key help page update. But in some markets, the goodbye appears to have started even earlier.
Reports from Australia indicated the feature was already inactive when tested before the official deadline. Meta disclosed the global change through a help page update and a revised 2022 news post. The rollback of the feature appears to be underway across multiple markets.
Encryption on Instagram was introduced in 2023 following Mark Zuckerberg’s 2019 promise. The opt-in design meant it was used by very few. Meta says low adoption is the reason for its removal, though critics point to other motivations.
Law enforcement agencies had consistently called for this change. The FBI, Interpol, and agencies in Australia and the UK argued encryption was enabling harm. Child safety organizations supported their view. Australia’s eSafety commissioner stressed that platforms must maintain safety standards regardless of encryption choices.
Privacy advocates see the gradual deactivation as a concern. They argue users deserve clear notice when privacy features are being removed. Digital Rights Watch called for transparency from Meta about the timeline and scope of the change, and urged users to take note of the implications for their private communications.