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Tech outage 2024: Major platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and Microsoft 365 were unavailable to users who had to report the issue with them.
Downdetector has compiled the list for different regions where the outage happened
Tech outages were a constant source of news in 2024 and we have seen some major downtime for popular platforms that are used by billions across the globe. These outages occur due to technical issues or bugs that can cause havoc and disrupt business and other activities for people.
Whenever there is a major outage, you think of Downdetector, the platform where users can report if they are unable to access apps like Facebook, X or even Microsoft Outlook. The tracker website has jotted down the number of reports it has received over the course of this year and compiled a top 10 list of the major tech outages in 2024 and it includes some of the biggest names in the industry.
10 Big Tech Outages In 2024
Facebook – 11.1 million on March 5
We start the list with Facebook which had the biggest impact earlier this year when over 11.1 million users reported disruption on March 5. You might say that Facebook isn’t as popular as it used to be but this report suggests otherwise and over 11 million people reporting its downtime is a clear sign of its continued relevance.
CrowdStrike – 5 Million on July 19
Remember CrowdStrike? The company doesn’t deal with consumers in general but the Windows blue screen of death or BSOD was caused by a major bug in the security solution. July 19 was a red-herring day for the IT sector as major airlines, healthcare entities and businesses were unable to function because of the error from CrowdStrike.
AT&T – 3.4 million on Feb 22
AT&T is one of the biggest operators in the world and you can imagine the disruption a network going down must have caused for the 3+ million customers for over 12 hours. The outage happened on February 22 which is almost a year back now but it did happen in 2024 and that’s why the list has this event.
Instagram – 3.3 Million On March 5
Meta had its work cut out this year with outages throughout the year and Instagram was one of the major victims of its downtime. The Instagram outage on March 5 this year resulted in over 3 million users reporting the issue and you can imagine how they were unable to access their feed, the reels and much more.
Verizon – 2.4 Million on September 30
Verizon is another telecom giant that was hit with a major outage a few months back. The network downtime resulted in 2.4 million people reporting the issue with their devices, which would have made it impossible for them to make calls or send messages.
WhatsApp – 2 Million On April 3
Yes, WhatsApp is also on the list, rounding up the Meta-owned platforms that were affected by outages this year. Around 2 million users had reported issues with their account on April 3 but it is likely that the actual number would be far higher.
Xbox Live – 1.2 Million on July 2
Xbox Live is popular among gamers and the major outage on July 2 was a big disruption for Xbox players, 1.2 million of them as per the tracker platform.
PlayStation Network – 1.1 Million on September 30
In addition to Verizon, September 30 also saw the PlayStation Network go down and 1.1 million reported the outage which will have irked the users.
Microsoft 365 – 168K on June 26
Microsoft caters to a wide range of consumers and businesses with its 365 solution that has Outlook, Teams and more apps in the suite. On June 26, over 160,000 users in the Asia Pacific region reported problems with these apps which would have surely disrupted the workflow for many.
X – 66K on April 29
And the last on this list is X, formerly known as Twitter. The Elon Musk-owned platform has faced multiple outages over the course of 2024 but the one on April 29 was a major hiccup for the company with 66K users unable to access their posts and feed.