Meta's social media platforms Facebook and Instagram experienced widespread disruptions on Friday, leaving thousands of users unable to access services normally.
According to outage-tracking website Downdetector, reports of problems surged across both platforms, with users complaining of login failures, content-loading issues, messaging disruptions, and app malfunctions.
For Facebook, more than half of the reported issues were related to login problems, while others involved difficulties using the app and messaging features. Instagram users also reported widespread disruptions, with the majority of complaints linked to the app's functionality.
Users from several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, India, Canada, Australia, and the Philippines, reported difficulties accessing their accounts or using core features of the platforms.
Many users turned to X, formerly Twitter, to share their experiences, saying they were unable to refresh feeds, view posts, perform searches, or access certain sections of the apps.
One issue frequently reported during the outage was a "query error" message appearing on Facebook. The notification typically occurs when Facebook's servers are unable to process requests sent by users. Such errors are common during large-scale outages when millions of users attempt to access services simultaneously.
Technical experts note that the error does not usually indicate a problem with individual user accounts. Instead, it often points to temporary issues within the platform's infrastructure.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, had not issued an official statement on the cause of the outage at the time of publication.
Experts advise users not to change passwords or alter account security settings while the disruption continues, as the issue is likely linked to Meta's servers rather than personal accounts.
Large-scale outages affecting major social media platforms are generally resolved within a few hours, though the duration can vary depending on the underlying technical problem.
The situation remains developing as users continue reporting issues and await an official update from Meta.
