Your WhatsApp and Instagram messages may no longer be private

Updated March 20, 2026, 8:39 a.m. | By Carol Ofori

Your private messages may not be as safe as you think. Here is what every South African WhatsApp and Instagram user needs to know about Meta's latest move.

Meta logo with WhatsApp and Instagram icons / iStock

Tens of millions of South Africans who rely on WhatsApp and Instagram for daily communication are facing a significant shift in how their private messages are protected, after Meta Platforms confirmed it is pulling back on encryption. A prominent cybersecurity academic has since raised the alarm that WhatsApp could face the same fate.

From 8 May 2026, Instagram's secret conversations feature will be discontinued. Anyone using end-to-end encrypted chats will be prompted to save their conversations and any shared media before that date, as everything in those chats will be wiped from the app.

Meta has attributed the decision to low uptake, noting that, unlike WhatsApp, encryption on Instagram was never switched on automatically and required users to manually activate it in their settings.

Most Instagram users communicating through standard direct messages will not notice any difference, reports MyBroadband.

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Why are experts sounding the alarm about WhatsApp?

The concern goes beyond Instagram. Matthew Green, a cryptographer and professor at Johns Hopkins University, questioned whether this signals a wider retreat from encryption across Meta's platforms.

In 2019, Meta committed to rolling out default encryption across all its messaging services, stating it existed to shield users from hackers, criminals and authoritarian regimes. Green describes the current direction as a dramatic reversal of that position.

His greatest concern centres on WhatsApp. He believes Meta's pullback may be driven by the value of message data for training artificial intelligence systems, which would give the company access to vast amounts of content it previously could not read. "I would be very worried for WhatsApp," he said.

How widely used are these platforms in South Africa?

WhatsApp is used by an estimated 28 to 29 million South Africans, representing roughly 94% of all internet users in the country, according to Yazi. South Africa has one of the highest WhatsApp penetration rates in Africa, making it a primary communication tool for both individuals and businesses.

Instagram has around 7.1 million active users locally with an install base of approximately 10 million people. For the millions who depend on these platforms for private and professional communication, weakened encryption is a significant concern.

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