By Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, experienced a widespread outage on March 5, 2024, leaving many users unable to log in to their accounts. The issue began around 10:00 AM ET and lasted for about two hours, causing frustration and disruption for millions of users around the world.
According to outage tracking website Downdetector, the peak of the outage saw over 550,000 reports of disruptions for Facebook and 92,000 for Instagram. Users reported being logged out of their accounts and unable to log back in, while others experienced difficulties refreshing their feeds.
Meta acknowledged the issue on Twitter, stating that a technical problem was causing the outage and that their engineering teams were working on a fix. The company later confirmed that the issue had been resolved and apologized for the inconvenience caused.
This outage highlights the reliance many people have on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram for communication, news, and entertainment. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of having alternative methods of communication in place in case of similar disruptions in the future.
Global Outage Disrupts Meta Platforms: Facebook and Instagram Down for Millions
Services Restored After Two Hours:
Thankfully, the outage proved to be short-lived. After approximately two hours of disruption, Meta successfully resolved the technical issue, and users gradually regained access to their Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Impact and Aftermath:
The outage serves as a reminder of the immense reliance many individuals and businesses have placed on social media platforms. While the disruption only lasted a few hours, it caused significant inconvenience and disruption to daily routines and workflow, particularly for those who depend on these platforms for communication and business purposes.
Meta, however, has assured users they are investigating the cause of the outage to prevent similar future occurrences. The company is likely to face questions regarding the outage’s impact and their communication strategy during the disruption.
This incident highlights the importance of social media platforms having robust infrastructure and contingency plans in place to ensure their services remain reliable and accessible.
