A major global outage impacted several Meta-owned apps on Wednesday, including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Instagram and WhatsApp are back online, however Facebook has yet to confirm whether all their issues have been resolved.

Meta, the parent company of these apps, updated users on X: “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there—just doing some last checks. We apologize to those who’ve been affected.”

According to Downdetector, over 22,000 people reported problems with Facebook, and more than 18,000 users struggled to access WhatsApp. The outage affected users in the UK, parts of Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and the US.

WhatsApp posted on X: “And we’re back, happy chatting!” Instagram also reassured users, saying, “Andddd we’re back—sorry for the wait, and thanks for bearing with us.”

The issues began around 18:00 GMT on Wednesday, with reports of users unable to access the apps or seeing unresponsive feeds. Downdetector’s numbers, based on user reports, showed a global disruption, though the exact number of affected users may vary.

Meta acknowledged the issue early, noting a “technical issue” impacting some users’ ability to access the apps. The company assured users that they were working to resolve it quickly.

What Caused the Outages?

Some speculate server problems, misconfigurations, or software bugs might be to blame. Meta’s team likely worked quickly to fix the issue, but resolving disruptions of this scale can take time. Although no detailed explanation has been given, Meta assures that service is mostly restored.

Outages of this scale often stem from complex and interrelated technical failures. Meta’s platforms operate on a shared infrastructure that supports billions of users worldwide. Here are some potential reasons for the disruption:

The interconnected nature of Meta’s services means that problems in one area can cascade to others, amplifying the disruption. This highlights the need for robust testing and backup systems to prevent such incidents in the future.

Implications of the Outages

The outages had significant implications for both users and businesses. WhatsApp and Instagram are two of the world’s most widely used apps. Their sudden unavailability disrupted communication for millions. People missed messages, couldn’t post on social media, and were unable to use a key source of entertainment.

For businesses, the outage was more than just an inconvenience. Companies relying on Instagram Business and WhatsApp Business for customer engagement, service, and transactions were left in a difficult spot. Some faced lost sales and frustrated customers, while marketing campaigns were delayed.

These platforms have become essential for personal and professional communication. The disruption left users seeking alternatives, raising concerns about the reliability of major tech platforms.

The outage also highlighted the risks of centralized control over digital communication. Meta’s apps are so ingrained in daily life that one issue can affect users across multiple services. Since the platforms share infrastructure, a problem with one can lead to a larger outage across all.

Looking Ahead

Meta’s platforms are some of the most widely used worldwide. Facebook alone has over three billion active monthly users. The most significant outage Meta faced was in 2021, when Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram were down for almost six hours. This prompted an apology from CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

With services restored, users can return to normal, but Meta has yet to confirm whether all issues have been addressed. The company’s ability to prevent similar disruptions in the future will likely be a key area of focus moving forward.