On Monday, users across Meta Platforms’ social media networks, including Instagram and Facebook, as well as the messaging service WhatsApp, faced significant disruptions, according to reports from Downdetector.com.
An estimated 13,000 users encountered difficulties accessing Instagram, while approximately 5,400 experienced problems with Facebook and around 1,870 reported issues with WhatsApp.
Downdetector compiles outage information by gathering reports from various sources, including user-submitted error notifications. The actual number of affected users may be higher. A request for comment from Meta regarding the outages went unanswered.
This outage follows a similar incident last month when Meta announced the restoration of services on its platforms after more than two hours of interruptions affecting tens of thousands of users. At that time, nearly 20,000 users reported accessibility issues with Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The company noted that problems with its Ads Manager, which assists brands in creating Facebook advertisements, were also resolved. Notably, these outages did not extend globally, as users in India largely remained unaffected.
In related news, Meta has recently reversed a policy initially implemented to combat the spread of COVID-19 misinformation on Facebook and Instagram. Both platforms faced considerable scrutiny regarding false information pertaining to the pandemic, including misleading vaccine claims, which drove them to enforce stricter regulations.
Last July, the parent company of Facebook consulted its independent oversight board regarding potential adjustments to its strategy in light of improved access to reliable information and increased public knowledge about COVID-19.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
