JAKARTA - Meta's decision to remove end-to-end encryption (E2EE) on the direct message (DM) feature on Instagram starting May 8, 2026 has sparked serious concerns among cybersecurity experts. This step is considered to open access to the contents of user conversations that were previously fully protected.
Without end-to-end encryption, private messages are no longer locked between the sender and the recipient. Technically, the platform now has the ability to read, process, and analyze the contents of messages - for artificial intelligence (AI) development, advertising, and user behavior analysis.
Security expert from Surfshark, Nikodemas Zaliauskas, called this policy a "yellow light" for the privacy commitment of technology companies. He warned that this change could set a precedent for other platforms in the Meta ecosystem.
"If encryption can be revoked today, users need to question whether other services such as Messenger will follow a similar path," he said.
Currently, Facebook Messenger itself is known as one of the applications with the most extensive data collection, covering 32 of 35 types of user data - far beyond the basic needs of the application.
This policy change is also inseparable from the role of AI which is now increasingly integrated into instant messaging services. Features such as real-time translation, conversation summaries, to AI-based assistants require direct access to the contents of the message to function optimally.
This means that when encryption is removed, every user interaction has the potential to become "fuel" for the AI system.
Amid these concerns, a number of alternative messaging apps with higher privacy levels are back in the spotlight. Signal remains the gold standard thanks to strong encryption and minimal user data collection.
For users of the Apple ecosystem, iMessage also offers solid cryptographic protection, although it still collects a limited amount of metadata.
Meanwhile, Telegram provides end-to-end encryption features through the "Secret Chat" mode, although it must be manually activated and not synchronized across devices.
Ironically, WhatsApp - which is also owned by Meta - still maintains end-to-end encryption as the default standard. This raises speculation that Meta could direct privacy-conscious users to the platform.
On the other hand, apps such as LINE, Discord, and Viber are considered to have a lower level of privacy due to wider data collection practices.
More broadly, Instagram's decision reflects the current dilemma of the technology industry: between safeguarding user privacy and maximizing the potential of AI. With AI becoming increasingly "data hungry", the line between innovation and intrusion is becoming thinner.
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