Meta-owned platforms Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp experienced significant outages on Wednesday afternoon, leaving millions of users across the globe unable to access their accounts. Reports of errors surged, with many facing blank screens and connection issues.
Downdetector, a real-time outage tracking site, recorded over 100,000 issues for Facebook and 70,000 for Instagram at their peak. WhatsApp and Messenger also faced similar disruptions. Users flooded social media platforms with complaints and queries, escalating the incident’s visibility.
Meta Issues Apology
In response to the chaos, Meta acknowledged the issues in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible and apologize for any inconvenience,” the company stated.
Later updates assured users that the situation was nearly resolved, with Meta sharing, “We’re 99% of the way there, just doing some last checks.”
What Caused the Outage?
While Meta has not released specific details on what caused the outages, experts speculate it could have been linked to server overloads or technical updates. By late Wednesday afternoon, outage reports began declining steadily, with many users confirming their apps were back online.
Users React Worldwide
The disruption sparked frustration and memes online, with users sharing their creative takes on the sudden digital blackout. For businesses reliant on these platforms, the downtime translated to missed opportunities and disrupted communication.
Were you impacted by Wednesday’s outage? Let us know your thoughts on how such interruptions affect your day.
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