Meta has recently introduced changes to messaging that have caught people’s attention, especially around Instagram. The main talking point is that Meta is adding more AI features to Messages, while also changing just how private some chats really are.
On WhatsApp, Meta AI can now help by summarising unread messages or answering questions in chats. Meta says normal personal messages remain end-to-end encrypted, which means they will stay private unless you choose to involve Meta AI directly.
The bigger privacy concern involves Instagram DMs. In May 2026, Meta removed end-to-end encryption from Instagram direct messages, meaning those messages will no longer be protected in the same way as encrypted chats. As a result, Meta can now access the content of those messages, including text messages, voice notes and media. (This does not mean that anyone can see your messages – only Meta can see these messages for “safety reasons”.)
Why have they done this?
It comes just as the US is about to introduce a new law requiring platforms like Instagram (which has over 2 billion monthly active users worldwide) to scan messages for harmful content. Child Safety charities such as the NSPCC are welcoming this change, as end-to-end encryption makes it harder to identify online predators. Privacy campaigners, however, are against it.
Why is this news?
In 2019 Mark Zuckerberg, the then Facebook CEO declared “the future is private” however just seven years later it seems Meta have made a huge U-turn.
So did the UK just lose the massive part of their online safety for a US law?