Instagram and Facebook Cross-Messaging Ending  Three years ago, Facebook announced Instagram and Facebook users could chat with one another. Unfortunately, Meta is changing it.  The two direct messaging programs were merged in 2020. It was part of the company’s plan to lock into Meta’s ecosystem.  Instagram head Adam Mosseri at that time said that the merging would allow Meta to work more efficiently. That is, it could build the messaging features once so they would rolled out easily to all the company’s products.  Meta, however, changed its mind and cross-app communication will not be available starting in mid-December. This has been announced through Instagram’s help center posting.  In that case, users of Instagram and Facebook can no longer start new calls or conversations with each other through the Messenger apps. If you have cross-platform chats, they will be read-only. In that way, you cannot send or receive additional messages.  A spokesperson of the company confirmed it to the Verge. “A few years ago, we introduced a new Messenger experience in Instagram DMs which enabled people to message and call a FB account (Messenger) from an Instagram account and vice versa. Starting in mid-December, we will begin removing this feature. However, people can continue to message and call their contacts on Facebook, Instagram or Messenger.” Currently, Meta is challenging the EU’s decision to regulate Messenger as its core platform service. The company has been hit by new antitrust rules. It would lead to making Messenger compatible with other messaging services.  However, the company argues that Messenger must be exempted because it is not a standalone messaging platform. Rather, it is just one of the features of Facebook.  Earlier this year, the company also shut down the Messenger Lite app for Android services. It also dropped SMS support for Messenger.  Cross-Platform Communication Cross-platform communication offers several benefits for users. You and your friends can communicate seamlessly across both platforms sans the need to switch between apps. It can provide a more integrated and streamlined messaging experience.  Cross-platform communication enables users on Messenger to connect with those on IG and vice versa. This broadens the reach and accessibility of your social network. It makes it easier to stay in touch with a diverse group of contacts.  Users can also share media content like photos, videos, and GIFs across platforms. It would enhance how they can express themselves and share moments with friends.  Your conversations can also be synchronized across Messenger and Instagram. It ensures that you can access your messages consistently. It does not matter what platform you are using. It is particularly useful if you frequently switch between devices.  Integration can also bring new and enhanced features. For instance, you can access advanced messaging options, collaborative features, and additional emojis that can work seamlessly between the two platforms.  It also streamlines customer interactions. If you own a business, you can manage customer inquiries and support requests from Messenger and Instagram through a single interface. Cross-platform communication truly reduces barriers to connecting with people. However, because of the Digital Markets Act, Meta thinks that the cross-messaging feature is not worth the risk.  Share...