Instagram head Adam Mosseri clarifies direct messages were never natively encrypted

The Instagram community is facing significant privacy adjustments after Meta announced the removal of end-to-end encryption, effective from 8 May 2026.

This decision represents a major reversal of the social media giant’s long-standing commitment to encrypted communication.

In a recent "ask me anything" session, Instagram head Adam Mosseri provided a candid clarification regarding the platform's security history.

When questioned by a user about the changes, Mosseri stated, "I want to clarify that Instagram DMs were never encrypted," noting that the protocol was never a default setting.

Mosseri explained that while a "secret DMs" feature existed, it accounted for "less than 1 percent of overall DMs" and is now being phased out entirely.

While end-to-end encryption is considered the most secure form of digital messaging — ensuring only the sender and recipient can read content — it has frequently served as a "bone of contention."

Meta’s decision reportedly addresses concerns regarding "rogue elements" who utilise encrypted spaces to spread harmful or extreme material without oversight.

The announcement has placed Instagram at odds with other major platforms such as WhatsApp, iMessage, and Signal, which continue to maintain encryption as a primary default.

Despite the shift in privacy policy, Mosseri also used the platform to address broader community concerns, including the removal of bot accounts and the future availability of trial reels on desktop devices.

Previously, TikTok had also confirmed it would not be implementing encrypted messaging. Moving forward, the company intends to focus on more transparent moderation tools to maintain platform safety.