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Slack is down, reporting outages across messaging app
AppWizard
February 26, 2025

Slack is down, reporting outages across messaging app

On Wednesday, Slack experienced a significant outage that disrupted communication for numerous users. At 10:27 a.m. Eastern Time, Slack's status tracker indicated difficulties in using or loading the platform. By approximately 1 p.m. ET, the company was still working to restore functionality to affected features. During the peak of the outage, over 3,000 users reported an inability to access the platform, but some services began to recover by mid-morning. The root cause of the outage remains unclear. Slack, a subsidiary of Salesforce, serves more than 200,000 paid customers and daily active users across over 150 countries.
'Loophole' in law on messaging apps leaves children vulnerable to sexual abuse, says NSPCC
AppWizard
February 18, 2025

‘Loophole’ in law on messaging apps leaves children vulnerable to sexual abuse, says NSPCC

Nearly 39,000 child sex abuse image crimes were documented in the past year, with approximately 38,685 crimes recorded in England and Wales during the 2023/24 period, averaging over 100 incidents per day. Snapchat was identified as the most frequently mentioned app in these cases, accounting for 50% of incidents, followed by Instagram (11%), Facebook (7%), and WhatsApp (6%). The NSPCC and other organizations are advocating for stronger enforcement of the Online Safety Act, citing concerns about a loophole that allows direct messaging services to remove harmful content only if deemed "technically feasible." The NSPCC expressed the need for proactive measures from platforms to prevent becoming "safe havens" for abusers, particularly highlighting risks associated with end-to-end encryption. A 13-year-old victim shared her distressing experience on Snapchat, where she was threatened after sending nude pictures to a stranger. NSPCC chief executive Chris Sherwood called for immediate government action, criticizing separate regulations for private messaging services that allow tech companies to evade responsibility. The Online Safety Act, passed in 2023, mandates social media companies to mitigate illegal and harmful content, but protective measures are still being implemented. Ofcom stated that most services should be capable of removing harmful content, while a government spokesperson reiterated the commitment to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse and to implement the Online Safety Act effectively.
Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger are down: Everything you need to know about Meta's outage
AppWizard
December 11, 2024

Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger are down: Everything you need to know about Meta’s outage

A major outage affected Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, and Threads, attributed to a "technical issue" by Meta. Reports peaked around 1:30 p.m. Eastern time, with about 75,000 complaints for Instagram and 100,000 for Facebook. Users expressed frustrations on alternative platforms, particularly X, where the hashtag #facebookdown trended. By 2:25 p.m. Eastern, reports of outages began to decline, indicating a return to normalcy, although some users still faced issues with direct messaging features.
Quest v72 Brings Improved Hand Tracking & Keyboard Cutout
Winsage
December 11, 2024

Quest v72 Brings Improved Hand Tracking & Keyboard Cutout

Meta Quest v72 is being rolled out to users, featuring improved hand tracking capabilities with the upgraded Hand Tracking 2.3 model, which enhances stability, accuracy, and reduces latency. Key improvements include a more stable hand cursor, better cursor stabilization during pinching, improved pinch-and-drag responsiveness, easier hand use in confined spaces, and a new hand ray visualization. The update also introduces experimental integration with Windows 11, a passthrough cutout feature for any keyboard, automatic call captions for live transcripts during calls, a Travel Mode indicator to prevent accidental activation, a streamlined home environment that defaults to a stationary boundary, and integration of direct messaging in the Instagram app on Horizon OS.
Wasting a lot of time watching Shorts and Reels? This app puts you back in control.
AppWizard
November 29, 2024

Wasting a lot of time watching Shorts and Reels? This app puts you back in control.

Sane Scrolling is an Android app developed by IJagan that blocks short-form videos on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram while allowing access to features like direct messaging and feeds. Users can set timers to limit their video consumption, and once the timer expires, they can watch an ad for additional viewing time. The app includes advertisements, and a payment is required to block videos across multiple apps. In-app purchases are one-time fees, not subscriptions. The free version allows timer extensions through ads, while paid users incur an extra fee for extensions. Future updates may introduce features like per-app timers and the ability to block scrolling through feeds.
Instagram and Facebook go down worldwide
AppWizard
October 29, 2024

Instagram and Facebook go down worldwide

Instagram users are experiencing significant challenges with direct messaging due to an outage that began around 7 AM ET, affecting major U.S. cities and regions in the UK, Australia, Europe, and Asia. Downdetector reports that 62% of users are having issues with the Instagram app, while 27% face server connection problems and 11% have difficulties sharing content. Facebook Messenger is also impacted, with 45% of users reporting issues on the website and 39% on the app. Users are expressing frustration on X (formerly Twitter) and are encountering error messages when trying to send direct messages. The outage affects over 375 million users of Instagram Direct Messages each month, but Meta has not yet acknowledged the issue.
5 messaging apps for Linux that make chatting online fun again
AppWizard
September 26, 2024

5 messaging apps for Linux that make chatting online fun again

Messaging is a primary mode of communication for many due to its instant gratification and community discussions. Various innovative platforms cater to different messaging needs: 1. Session: A privacy-focused messaging service that minimizes sensitive metadata and uses random user IDs for secure, end-to-end encrypted conversations. It is available as a free Linux AppImage. 2. Rambox: An application that consolidates multiple chat accounts into one interface, supporting services like Android Messages, Discord, Facebook, Google Chat, Instagram, and WhatsApp. It offers a free version with limitations and a Pro plan for .85 per month. Installation is done via Snap. 3. Element: A desktop application for the Matrix service that allows users to create and join public rooms on various topics. It can be installed through standard Linux repositories, Snap, or Flatpak. 4. Rocket.chat: A localized chat service that allows users to deploy a server on their local area network for secure communication. It includes collaboration features and can be installed for free via standard Linux repositories, Snap, or Flatpak. 5. Discord: A platform that combines messaging, voice, and video capabilities, popular among gamers. It facilitates community engagement and is available for free as a DEB or tar file.
Threads to get a new messaging feature soon
AppWizard
April 16, 2024

Threads to get a new messaging feature soon

Meta's Threads app is expanding to include messaging capabilities, allowing users to send messages from Threads to Instagram. This feature will not have its own inbox but will integrate with Instagram's existing messaging system. Adam Mosseri clarified that Threads will not have a separate inbox and will be integrated with Instagram's inbox. This addition is part of Meta's efforts to improve its services, along with introducing a bookmarking feature and testing cross-posting content between Threads and Facebook.
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