On the afternoon of December 11, users across the globe encountered significant disruptions on Meta’s flagship platforms, Instagram and Facebook. Reports of outages began to flood in shortly after 11 a.m. MT, peaking around noon, according to data from outage tracker Downdetector. Facebook alone recorded over 100,000 outage reports, while Instagram followed with more than 70,000. WhatsApp, another Meta-owned service, also faced similar issues.
Details of the Outage
Users reported difficulties accessing both the app and website for Facebook and Instagram. Additionally, Messenger users experienced challenges with logging in and sending messages. A spokesperson for Meta acknowledged the situation, stating, “We’re aware that a technical issue is impacting some users’ ability to access our apps. We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible, and apologize for any inconvenience.”
Instagram took to X (formerly Twitter) around noon to inform users of the ongoing technical difficulties, expressing their commitment to resolving the issue swiftly. “Hi, we know there’s a technical issue impacting some people’s ability to access Instagram. We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible and are sorry for any inconvenience,” the post read.
Moreover, Meta reported that the disruptions extended to its business tools, affecting advertising and messaging functionalities. As the afternoon progressed, the volume of outage reports began to decline, with a notable drop after a peak around 1:10 p.m. ET. Users from various regions shared their experiences, with some encountering blank home screens on Instagram for extended periods.
As the situation unfolded, it became evident that the ripple effects of the outage were felt widely, impacting not only individual users but also businesses relying on Meta’s platforms for communication and advertising. The incident serves as a reminder of the interconnected nature of digital services and the potential for widespread disruption when technical issues arise.
