Update: Instagram’s Instagram Comms Twitter account has announced that the app is operational again: Instagram has returned! We apologize for the inconvenience; the problem that briefly caused the outage has been fixed. #instagramdown”
Additionally, a Meta representative sent a statement to Variety saying that “Earlier today, a technical issue prevented some users from accessing Instagram. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and we swiftly fixed the problem for everyone who was impacted.
Earlier: Instagram has stopped working, as users worldwide took to other social media platforms on May 21 to complain that they can’t log in or use the photo and video sharing app.
“My Instagram,” “Y’all Instagram” and “My IG” were all quickly trending topics on Twitter after users realized the platform was down. Soon after, “#instagramdown” became the dominant trend.
A company that records app outages, Downdetector.com, reveals that user reports of Instagram outages peaked around 3:09 PM PT and have been continuously increasing ever since.
Pop culture memes highlighting fans’ dread of missing out also saturated Twitter.
On September 22, there was a significant Instagram outage.
Recently, Instagram’s parent company Meta announced the launch of their “Meta Verified” subscription service, which awards Facebook and Instagram users who have paid for the service with a blue checkmark.
“Good morning and new product announcement: this week we’re starting to roll out Meta Verified — a subscription service that lets you verify your account with a government ID, get a blue badge, get extra impersonation protection against accounts claiming to be you, and get direct access to customer support,” Meta chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote while announcing the new program. “This new feature is about increasing authenticity and security across our services. Meta Verified starts at $11.99 / month on web or $14.99 / month on iOS. We’ll be rolling out in Australia and New Zealand this week and more countries soon.”