On December 11, 2024, users around the globe faced significant disruptions as apps owned by Meta, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, experienced widespread outages. The technical issues, which began surfacing around 1 p.m. EST, impacted users' ability to access these popular social media platforms, leading to frustrations and confusion.
At the height of the outages, DownDetector, which tracks service interruptions, reported over 100,000 simultaneous problems with Facebook and around 67,000 issues for Instagram. Many users relayed their experiences on social media, with some encountering blank screens or being unable to refresh their feeds. Some Instagram users noted they could still view Stories, but were faced with error messages stating, "Couldn't load activity." Others reported seeing notifications stating, "We're working on getting this fixed as soon as we can," when trying to log on.
Meta quickly acknowledged the widespread disruption. A post on X (formerly known as Twitter) at 1:48 p.m. stated, "We’re aware there’s a technical issue 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." This message echoed sentiments shared by WhatsApp and Instagram, both of which confirmed they were also experiencing technical difficulties.
The sequence of events revealed to many users the vulnerabilities underlying the functionality of these applications. Cisco ThousandEyes suggested the issues were related to "internal server errors and timeouts," signifying potential problems with Meta’s backend infrastructure.
Reports from other tracking sites corroborated the surge of complaints, highlighting the serious impact this outage had on diverse users—ranging from casual social media users to businesses relying on Meta's platforms for marketing and communication. Employees using Workplace from Meta for professional needs also reported issues, underlining the widespread nature of the outages.
A few hours after the peak outage, user reports began to drop, with Facebook outage reports falling from over 100,000 to around 18,000. By 2 p.m. EST, Facebook issues had decreased to about 22,000 and Instagram was seeing around 24,000 reports. This decline indicated some restoration of services, but complaints continued to trickle in.
This isn't the first time Meta has found itself grappling with significant outages. Back in March 2024 on Super Tuesday, Facebook and Instagram also faced interruptions, creating upheaval during pivotal election events. Similarly, Meta's services were under scrutiny earlier this year when outages affected multiple apps simultaneously.
While outages have become somewhat commonplace among tech giants, such interruptions raise questions about the robustness and reliability of the platforms, especially those considered central to modern communication and social interaction. With reports flowing from users eager to understand the cause and resolution of these problems, the incident on December 11 renewed focus on how internet outages impact millions of people.
Even with the return of services, users remain vigilant, sharing their experiences and seeking answers. Social media's role as a connective tissue for personal and commercial interaction creates inherent tension, highlighting the dependency users have developed on these platforms daily. With services returning to normal, attention shifts to Meta's ability to prevent future disruptions and communicate effectively with its users.