On December 11, 2024, Meta Platforms, Inc. experienced a significant global outage affecting its major platforms—WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. Users in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported widespread disruptions, impacting communication and social interactions.
Details of the Outage
The outage began around 12:50 PM Eastern Time (9:50 PM UAE time) on December 11, 2024. Users in the UAE reported difficulties in sending and receiving messages on WhatsApp, and issues with posting content on Facebook and Instagram. According to Downdetector, at the peak of the outage, more than 2,600 incidents were reported with WhatsApp and over 2,000 with Instagram in the UAE.
Global Impact
The disruption was not limited to the UAE. Users worldwide, including those in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America, faced similar issues. Reports indicated that over 27,000 users experienced problems with Facebook, and more than 28,000 with Instagram.
Meta’s Response
Meta acknowledged the technical issues and apologized for the inconvenience caused. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Meta said, “We’re aware that a technical issue is 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.”
Later, Meta updated users, stating, “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there—just doing some last checks. We apologize to those who’ve been affected by the outage.”
Restoration of Services
By early Thursday morning, December 12, 2024, Meta reported that services were restored. Users in the UAE and globally regained access to WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. Meta confirmed the restoration of services in a statement on X, saying, “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there—just doing some last checks. We apologize to those who’ve been affected by the outage.”
Impact on Users
The outage caused significant inconvenience for users who rely on Meta’s platforms for communication and social interaction. Many users took to alternative platforms to express their frustrations and seek information about the outage. Some users flooded X with memes about the outage.
Conclusion
The December 11, 2024, outage of Meta’s platforms highlighted the global reliance on social media and messaging services. While services have been restored, the incident serves as a reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in digital communication platforms.
