Two of the world’s biggest social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, experienced a major outage on Tuesday morning, leaving millions of users across the United States frustrated and unable to access core features.
According to online tracking service Downdetector, issues began around 9am ET (1pm GMT), with thousands of users reporting problems viewing or interacting with content.
Instagram Users Report Vanishing Comments
On Instagram, the primary issue appeared to involve the comments section of posts. Users said they could see that posts had comments, but when attempting to view or add their own, the section appeared empty or their input vanished.
“I see comments, but when I click on them it says ‘no comments, start the conversation.’ When I post one, it disappears,” one user reported.
The problem has been widespread, with affected users reporting from Ohio, New York, Utah, and other states.
Facebook Users Locked Out
Meanwhile, Facebook users described a more severe experience, with many unable to log in at all.
“I signed out a little while ago and it was fine. Now I’m getting an error message trying to sign back in,” said one user.
Others confirmed the issue was affecting multiple regions, including Washington state, Houston, and California.
Approximately one-third of complaints on Facebook involved login failures, while others reported app crashes or broken page functionality.
Other Platforms Impacted
The outage wasn’t limited to Facebook and Instagram. Downdetector also flagged issues with Facebook Messenger, Instacart, Indeed, and Earthlink, suggesting a broader disruption across services, possibly tied to a shared infrastructure provider.
As of 2pm ET, neither Meta (Facebook and Instagram’s parent company) nor the affected platforms had issued an official statement.
User Frustration Mounts Online
While Facebook and Instagram were down, many users turned to X (formerly Twitter) to vent their frustration.
“Facebook and Instagram are down again? What year is this, 2012?” joked one user.
Another added, “Of course I decide to post something important today. Thanks Meta!”
What We Know So Far
- Instagram: 60% of issues reported involve the comments section. Around 30% of users said the app wasn’t working at all.
- Facebook: 33% of users couldn’t log in, with others experiencing app and website issues.
- Start time: Around 9am ET / 1pm GMT.
- Other platforms affected: Facebook Messenger, Instacart, Earthlink, and Indeed.
No Timeline for Fix Yet
At the time of writing, Meta has not provided an update on the cause of the outage or when full service will be restored. The simultaneous problems across multiple platforms suggest the issue may be server-related or involve internal updates.
Users are advised to remain patient and check for official updates via Meta’s status pages or alternative news sources.
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