Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms are down, leaving users unable to access their accounts.
As the clock struck 10 a.m. ET, a wave of frustration swept across Facebook and Threads users worldwide. The ominous signs of outage emerged, as DownDetector.com lit up with reports detailing the inability to load either app. Instagram, a sibling service, didn’t escape unscathed, with users reporting feed refresh issues while some fortunate souls could still access the platform.
Facebook is down! Panic ensued as users grappled with failed login attempts and app crashes. Facebook users found themselves mysteriously logged out, stranded at the digital gates, while Instagram stubbornly refused to budge, rendering itself utterly non-functional.
The sudden surge in log-out warnings triggered widespread paranoia among users, prompting fears of a potential cyber intrusion. On Twitter, a flurry of concerned hashtags trended, echoing the collective anxiety. However, Meta, formerly known as Facebook, reassured users that the issue stemmed from internal glitches within their login systems, allaying fears of a security breach.
This service disruption serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of our digital ecosystems. Just last year, in 2021, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp collectively faced a blackout lasting over six agonizing hours. Meta attributed the debacle to “configuration changes on backbone routers,” underscoring the intricate web of infrastructure that underpins our online interactions.
Meta’s spokesperson, Andy Stone, acknowledged the ongoing turmoil in a social media post on X, pledging swift action to resolve the crisis.
Meanwhile, market jitters were palpable as Meta’s stock dipped by more than 1%, a testament to the company’s significant influence in the tech landscape.
Moreover, Meta finds itself grappling with “major disruptions” across crucial business tools such as the Meta Admin Center, Facebook login, WhatsApp Business API, and Marketing API, exacerbating the ripple effect of the outage.
As users anxiously await a resolution, uncertainty looms over when normalcy will be restored to the digital realm. The hashtags “#instagramdown” and “#facebookoutage” dominate online discourse, serving as digital markers of this turbulent episode. Until then, users are left to ponder the delicate balance between connectivity and chaos in the digital age.
DownDetector has recorded over 500,000 outages by 11.00 am.
VBNG is investigating the issue further.
