Apr. 23, 2026
Meta ends encrypted Instagram DMs: Are your messages still private under California law?
Meta's removal of end-to-end encrypted Instagram DMs raises a threshold question: whether users' expectation that their messages are "private" carries any meaningful protection under California law.
Don R. Dennis Jr.
Founder
Law Office of Don R. Dennis Jr.
Phone: (310) 776-3970
Email: don@dondennislaw.com
On March 9, 2026, Meta posted "[v]ery few people were opting in to end-to end encrypted messaging in DMs, so we're removing this option from Instagram in the coming months. You can keep messaging with end-to-end encryption easily on WhatsApp."
Significance of direct messages in society
A tremendous amount of communication occurs through direct messages (DMs). Songs have been written about sending DMs, such as Young Gotti's "D...
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