Daily Tech Headlines Instagram Ends Encrypted Messaging - DTH
Mar 18, 2026
Stories cover Instagram turning off encrypted DMs and the fallout from that change. Meta plans to remove Horizon Worlds from Quest and shift it to mobile. NVIDIA won approval to sell powerful AI chips in China. An Apple executive leaves for Oura amid hardware delays. Legal battles touch Perplexity, Amazon, and App Store disputes.
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Instagram Drops Encrypted Direct Messaging
- Instagram will disable end-to-end encrypted private messages on May 8, 2026, shifting users who want encryption to WhatsApp.
- Meta cited low uptake and external pressure from child safety groups, Interpol, and the FBI as reasons for the change.
Australia Already Lost Instagram Encryption
- The Guardian reports Instagram's encrypted messaging was already disabled for Australian users as Meta rolled back the feature.
- Meta suggested users who want end-to-end encryption can use WhatsApp instead.
NVIDIA Gets China Approval For High-End AI Chips
- NVIDIA secured Beijing approval to sell its second-most powerful AI chips in China and plans a Grok AI chip variant for that market.
- Sources say selective U.S. approvals preceded Beijing's sign-off and the Grok chip is expected in May 2026.