The social network Instagram has ended end-to-end encryption for its private messages, a change that went almost unnoticed but profoundly alters the level of privacy in these exchanges. Since May 8, its parent company Meta can now technically access content sent via private chats on the platform, whereas this protection had been gradually introduced starting in 2023.
The change comes just days before the Take It Down Act takes effect in the United States, a law requiring digital platforms to quickly remove certain illegal content, including intimate images shared without consent. With the removal of encryption, Meta regains the technical ability to access messages in order to comply with these legal obligations and requests from authorities.
A decision that reignites concerns about confidentiality
To justify this removal, the American company claims that very few users had activated this security option on Instagram. Unlike WhatsApp, where encryption works automatically, this protection remained optional and barely visible in the social network's settings, severely limiting its adoption.
This development has sparked renewed criticism from privacy advocates, who fear increased exploitation of conversations by Meta's advertising tools and artificial intelligence. Several experts also believe that the lack of encryption increases the risks associated with government requests, data leaks, and automated analysis of personal exchanges on the platform.
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