End-to-end encryption: Instagram disables privacy protection
Meta's subsidiary Instagram is disabling end-to-end encryption for direct messages on May 8.
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It flew somewhat under the radar, but starting today, Friday, it's getting serious: Instagram is diluting the social network's privacy protection. Meta is globally disabling the opt-in option for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for direct messages.
With this, Meta is reversing course, as the company had previously praised E2EE as the gold standard for privacy, as the BBC puts it. Meta had gradually introduced general E2EE for Facebook Messenger and Instagram starting at the end of 2023.
Instagram: E2EE end due to low usage
The IT security company specializing in privacy, Proton, also points out on Instagram the upcoming change. Anyone who wants to retain access to previously encrypted messages and chats must now download them quickly before they disappear from Instagram.
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As an explanation for why end-to-end encryption will no longer be possible, an updated Facebook blog post provides an explanation: According to it, only very few people have used the option to activate end-to-end encryption in direct messages. Anyone who still wants to use E2EE for messages can simply use WhatsApp for it.
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In Great Britain, this step is likely to be welcomed. When the introduction of E2EE in Instagram was announced, the British government already took to the barricades. Then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman initially demanded security measures to protect children from abuse on the Instagram and Facebook Messenger platforms. Meta had not provided sufficient assurances that the two platforms would be kept free of “sickening abusers.” At the time, Meta argued in contrast that end-to-end encryption protects people in the UK from hackers, fraudsters, and criminals.
Since Meta will potentially gain access to more personal user information, the suspicion might arise that this could be used for advertising purposes, for example. But that's not necessary at all. Based on metadata alone, advertising is already possible with surprising precision, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri explained some time ago.
(dmk)
