Meta wants to halt messaging between Instagram and Facebook

Meta recently revised its online support documentation, revealing that Instagram users will no longer be able to message Facebook contacts directly. This change is scheduled to take effect in mid-December, though an exact date hasn't been provided. According to the updated support page, while initiating new messages across platforms will be disabled, existing Instagram conversations will switch to a read-only format.

Cross-messaging features

In 2020, Meta introduced the feature of cross-platform messaging, enhancing it over three years with additions like group chat. Now, the feature is being phased out quietly. Meta has not specified the reasons behind this decision. However, the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) mandates that major messaging applications must be interoperable. In related news, WhatsApp, also owned by Meta, began developing a feature for interoperability, evidenced by the discovery of a "third-party chats" interface.

Meta had a plan to re-enable encryption

Earlier in August, Meta announced plans to enable end-to-end encryption as a default setting for Messenger users by the year's end. Rob Sherman, Meta's deputy privacy officer, mentioned that Instagram direct messages would also receive end-to-end encryption after Messenger's update. It's unclear if the removal of cross-platform messaging is linked to this encryption rollout. Following directives from Germany's antitrust authority in June, Meta agreed to modify its account center, offering users enhanced control over activities across different sites.