How people on Instagram can talk to their friends on Facebook will change.

Meta, the company that owns those apps, updated what they say about it without making a big deal. By the middle of December, Instagram users won't be able to send messages to the people linked to their Facebook profile anymore, although they didn't give an exact date.

People can still read past conversations with your Facebook contacts on Instagram, but you won't be able to start new ones.

This feature began a couple of years ago, in 2020, when Meta first connected the messaging between the apps even though they added group chats and such since they're ending this option without much warning.

The social media giant had initially linked the platforms for messaging; however, despite including features like group chat during the past three years, Meta is stopping this function without drawing attention or giving a heads-up.

There is Still No Update on Why They Ended the Link in Messaging

They didn't say why they ended the messaging between devices. European Union's Digital Markets Act requires big messaging apps to be interoperable.

Lately, WhatsApp, which Meta owns, started making how systems can be connected like what people saw online. Before that, Meta said Messenger would have the encrypting thing you can't read by the end of the year.

Once Messenger has it, Instagram messages will too.

It's unclear if stopping the link between the devices' messaging is tied to getting encryption. Also, Meta agreed to change how you get into your account, as the tech group told them to do in June, giving people more power over activities across sites.

According to another source, Adam Mosseri from Instagram hinted at how this change might make Meta's work more accessible by developing messaging stuff once and then putting it on all their sites.

This move went with Instagram getting features from Messenger, like messages that vanish and selfie stickers when chatting between platforms went live.

However, some thought this tying together of Meta's apps could complicate splitting Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp if the government wanted. Folks said they're too mixed up now. This outcome could make the apps look different outside, mixing up their identities.

Instagram's Latest Feature

Instagram recently added this new feature where you can choose who sees your posts and videos.

Mark Zuckerberg showed a demo of how it works on his Instagram page. When you post something on your Instagram feed, you will see an " Audience " button.

If you press it, a window asks if you want to share with your "close friends" or everyone.

In that window, you can also change who's on that close friend's list. When your friends on the list like or comment on a post only they can see, they will also see each other's usernames. This lets you control better who can see your stuff on Instagram.