SAN FRANCISCO: Meta will soon discontinue the "cross-app communication chats" feature that lets you chat with Facebook friends on Instagram.

Starting in mid-December, the company will disconnect the feature, which it added in 2020.

"Beginning in mid-December 2023, you will no longer be able to chat with Facebook accounts on Instagram," the company wrote on its support page.

The company didn’t mention the reason for doing so, but, as 9to5Google speculates, avoiding regulatory ramifications in the European Union (EU) seems like a reason behind this development.

Once the cross-app communication feature is removed, you will not be able to start new conversations or calls with Facebook accounts from Instagram.

Any existing chats on Instagram that you’ve had with Facebook accounts will become read-only, even if these Facebook accounts are removed from the chat, meaning you and others with Instagram accounts cannot send new messages in these chats, the company explained.

In addition, Facebook accounts will not be able to view your Activity Status or whether you’ve seen a message.

Any existing chats you've had with Facebook accounts will not move to your inbox on Facebook or Messenger.

Meanwhile, Meta has introduced new updates on several products across Facebook and Instagram to help creators make money.

The company is testing a new invite-only holiday bonus on Instagram for creators in the US, South Korea and Japan.

Creators will earn based on the number of reels plays and photo views they receive during the bonus period, as long as the content passes Content Monetisation Policies.