Meta Puts an End to Cross-App Communication Chats

Users Will No Longer Merge Their Instagram and Facebook Inboxes

Meta Instagram Facebook
The cross-platform messaging feature was introduced in 2020

Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, is all set to end the cross-app communication chats feature that allows users to chat with their Facebook contacts on Instagram. The change is scheduled to take effect in December 2023, according to the company’s support pages.

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The cross-platform messaging feature was introduced in 2020, as part of Meta’s vision to unify its messaging apps. Users could opt-in to merge their Instagram and Facebook inboxes, and access features such as chat themes, selfie stickers, and watch together. Meta said the integration would make it easier for users to stay connected across its platforms.

However, the feature also raised privacy and antitrust concerns, as Meta faced increasing scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers around the world. In the European Union, the Digital Markets Act passed in 2022, requires large messaging apps to be interoperable with each other, and imposes hefty fines for non-compliance. The DMA is also the reason why Meta-owned Instagram Threads did not launch in the region during the global rollout. The popular app, which is touted to be a Twitter rival, has been held up by what Meta spokesperson Christine Pai described as “upcoming regulatory uncertainty”.

However, Meta is said to launch Instagram Threads in the EU this month, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Meta also agreed to let users opt out of cross-site tracking and data sharing, following an order from the German antitrust authority.

After the cross-app communication ceases to operate, existing chats on Instagram involving a Facebook account will become a read-only state, regardless of whether these Facebook accounts are excluded from the conversation. Therefore, users with Instagram accounts won’t be able to send new messages in these chats. This also means that Facebook accounts will not be able to see your message read status as well as Activity Status.

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Meta Instagram Facebook
Meta and other platforms logos. Photo by Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash

Meta did not provide a specific reason for ending the cross-platform messaging feature, but it could be related to these regulatory pressures. The company also said in August that it had plans to enable end-to-end encryption for Messenger and Instagram DMs, which could complicate cross-app communication.

As it is scheduled, Meta will notify users about the change, and provide them with options to download or delete their cross-platform chats. The company also said it will continue to work on improving the messaging experience on each of its apps.

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