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Meta's Messenger is "the most data-hungry messaging app," new research from security firm Surfshark has revealed. The findings from one of the best VPN deals has revealed that Messenger is collecting 32 out of 35 possible data types, which can be used for behavioural analysis and target you for personalised advertisements.
The findings arrive as your private Instagram messages just became a lot less private.
Meta switched off end-to-end encryption for Instagram direct messages on May 8, meaning the company will potentially be able to see what you're sending to friends and family. It's a significant privacy shift for the millions of people who use Instagram to chat daily, and cybersecurity experts are already raising alarm bells.
Nikodemas Zaliauskas, cybersecurity expert at Surfshark, said: "It's crucial to understand that users aren't just sharing information with a friend, but they're actually providing data to the company that owns the app.
"Popular platforms often collect a wide range of user data for various purposes, including advertising, product personalisation, user behaviour analysis, and even tracking. As a result, when you choose a platform that gathers extensive data or integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) into your conversations, that's where privacy basically ends."
Meta has announced it's switching off end-to-end encryption for Instagram direct messages from May 8, 2026, meaning the company will potentially be able to see what you're sending to friends and family
| META PRESS OFFICESo how does encryption on an app like Messenger or Instagram work?
It's similar to sending a letter in a locked box where only you and your mate have the key. Every device in an encrypted chat has its own special key that scrambles your messages, photos, and video calls as they're sent. The only way to unscramble them is with the matching key on the other end.
Once Instagram removes this protection, that locked box essentially becomes a postcard anyone at Meta could read. If you have encrypted chats you want to keep, Instagram sent instructions on how to download your messages and media before the May 8, 2026 deadline.
When you send an encrypted message on Instagram, it's locked with a special digital key that only you and the person you're chatting with can unlock
|META PRESS OFFICE
Other Meta-owned platforms, like WhatsApp, still offer end-to-end encryption by default, and there's currently no plan to remove it. Every message you send is protected by the open-source Signal encryption protocol, locking your chats before they even leave your phone.
The company states it cannot read your messages or listen to your calls.
Mr Zaliauskas said: "This lack of protection raises serious questions about the company's commitment to protecting user data and ensuring digital privacy."
Surfshark's research also reveals that 90% of messaging apps now include AI features like conversation summaries and real-time translation, which means you're not just sharing with friends but potentially with the company itself.
If you're looking for a more private alternative, Surfshark's research ranks Signal as the top choice. It pairs end-to-end encryption with quantum-secure cryptography and collects virtually no data linked to you. Apple's iMessage offers similar protection but has been found to gather 10 types of data.
You can also encrypt and protect everything you do online with the help of a VPN.
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What is a VPN?
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network.
It's an application that encrypts and anonymises everything you do online — bolstering your privacy, hiding your location, and stopping advertisers, trackers, and even governments from keeping tabs on you.
VPNs are widely used by businesses to keep proprietary data safe from prying eyes. Whistle-blowers and journalists also rely on these apps to shield sensitive information. And now, VPNs are fast becoming an essential tool for everyone with a smartphone, laptop, desktop PC, streaming set-top box, or tablet.
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What can a VPN do?
Using a VPN isn't just about boosting your privacy online. These versatile apps have a slew of different features. We've put together a list of some of the most useful VPN features below:
- Protects your data online
- Keeps you safe on public Wi-Fi networks
- Unlock access to blocked sites in your country
- Block trackers from advertisers
- Block trackers from governments
- Check prices of flights, hotels in other countries
Access apps that are blocked in your countryAvoid censorship in your current locationStream sports from anywhere in the worldBypass speed blocks from your broadbandOptimise online multiplayer games