In a huge snag that left millions of users stranded globally, popular social platforms WhatsApp and Instagram faced major outages yesterday evening. According to reports on internet outage tracker Downdetector, users started reporting issues around 11:45 pm IST as they were unable to send or receive messages on WhatsApp or refresh their Instagram feeds.
People took to other platforms like Twitter to confirm if the issues were widespread or just limited to some regions and users. The heatmaps on Downdetector showed red spots across India, USA, Europe and other parts of the world, indicating users in these locations were significantly impacted. Those trying to use the WhatsApp web or desktop versions were greeted with an error message saying “the session has expired”.
On Instagram, people were unable to see new posts or view stories as the newsfeeds and stories sections displayed Loading errors. Quick replies and likes were also not working for many. The outage continued for over an hour, subjecting users to loss of important conversations and updates during the prime evening usage hours.
Meta, which owns both the platforms, is yet to acknowledge or share any updates on the technical glitches. Users will be hoping for a smooth restoration of services and to prevent major failures like this in future that can cause communication barriers globally for a long period. With billions of users depending on these apps for personal and professional requirements, any technical disturbances leave a huge impact. Once more information is available from Meta's end, it will give a better idea about the root cause and steps taken to avoid repeating such outages.
