Updated 11.59am
Global Outage Briefly Disrupts Facebook’s Desktop Access
The desktop version of Facebook has resumed normal operations following an unexpected global outage that occurred on Sunday morning. Users around the world, including those in Malta, encountered a message indicating that their accounts were “currently unavailable due to a site issue.”
Facebook assured its users that the problem would be resolved “shortly,” and indeed, the platform was back online just before noon after approximately three hours of downtime. During this period, the DownDetector website recorded a notable spike in searches for “Facebook down,” peaking just before 9 am.
While the desktop version faced challenges, reports indicated that the mobile app continued to function without significant disruption. However, many users experienced difficulties accessing their accounts and utilizing core features, with some unable to upload photos or videos, or send messages through Facebook’s Messenger service.
The outage appeared to extend beyond Facebook, as Instagram users also reported issues with viewing and sharing posts. Many received an error message stating: “Sorry, something went wrong. We’re working on getting this fixed as soon as we can.”
As of the time of publication, Meta had not released an official statement regarding the incident. With an estimated global user base exceeding 3 billion monthly active users, it is noteworthy that only about 1.5% to 2% of this demographic accesses Facebook exclusively via desktop. In contrast, approximately 14.3% utilize both desktop and mobile platforms, while a significant majority—over 81%—access the site solely through mobile devices.
More to follow.
