The WhatsApp application
Donat Ruvic | Reuters
WhatsApp, the messaging app owned by Facebook parent Meta, suffered a global outage on Tuesday.
The problems were first detected around 3:17 a.m. ET, according to Downdetector.com, which monitors Internet service outages.
Users reported problems with sending and receiving messages. Normal WhatsApp service had not yet been restored as of 4:05 a.m. ET.
WhatsApp Web, the Internet browser version of the messaging service, failed to load when tested by CNBC. “Make sure your computer has an active internet connection,” read a prompt on WhatsApp Web.
Meta later confirmed problems with WhatsApp.
“We’re aware that some people are currently having trouble sending messages, and we’re working to restore WhatsApp for everyone as soon as possible,” a Meta spokesperson told CNBC.
WhatsApp, which has around 2 billion users, is particularly popular in countries such as India and Brazil.
It’s not the first mistake for a Meta-owned platform this year. In August, Facebook users reported an issue where their feed was spammed with messages from other people that were initially made to celebrity pages.
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