Global Outage: WhatsApp and Instagram Experience Service Disruption

Meta Platforms-owned messaging apps, WhatsApp and Instagram, faced a widespread outage affecting users globally on Wednesday afternoon. The service disruption, which began around 1:45 pm ET, left users unable to log in or access WhatsApp Web, the browser version.

Instagram users also encountered difficulties, such as refreshing feeds or viewing stories due to the shared Meta data outage affecting both apps. Downdetector, a prominent web outage monitoring site, recorded a surge in user reports citing issues with WhatsApp and Instagram.

The exact cause of the outage remains unclear as investigations are ongoing. Speculations around a possible cyberattack have surfaced but are yet to be confirmed until the problem is resolved. This incident adds to a series of web service failures witnessed in 2024, heightening concerns over app and service reliability.

During the outage, Facebook Messenger, considered an alternative for communication, was also impacted, with both web versions and the standalone app failing to function. This disruption comes at a critical time following a destructive hurricane in Taiwan, where communication services are vital for recovery efforts.

In the initial hour post-outage reports, India alone recorded over 5,000 complaints, signaling the widespread nature of the problem. X users created a trending hashtag, #whatsappdown, to raise awareness and engage in discussions regarding the service disruption.