Facebook: A "small human error" caused the 24-hour blackout

The small programming error on a computer server of the Facebook network had a chain effect of "domino" type on Facebook and its "sister" platforms

ΑFor almost 24 hours Facebook - and with it the "sisters" platforms Instagram, Whatsapp and Messenger - faced serious operational problems, which made life difficult for many users around the world, finally fully restored its operation.

As the biggest social media outlet made known, the problem - the longest in its history - was due to a human programming error on a computer server of its network, which had "domino" type chain effects.

Analysts, according to the New York Times and the BBC, point out that the incident is a reminder that even the most powerful internet companies, which employ the best computer specialists and have state-of-the-art technologies, ultimately can not avoid human error and its consequences.

The problem was triggered by "changes to a server settings," according to a Facebook spokesman. The initial mistake gradually escalated and created an ever-expanding network of problems on Facebook that could not be fixed quickly, according to a current and former employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to reporters.

According to the official statement of Facebook, "many people had difficulty accessing our applications and services. We solved the problems and our systems are back. We are very sorry for the inconvenience and we appreciate everyone's patience ".

But some analysts have commented that Facebook took so long to come up with an explanation. On the other hand, the website Downdetector, which records the problems on the internet, announced that it received 7,5 million complaints about various problems on Facebook and other applications. As co-founder Tom Saunders put it, "we have never seen a blackout of this magnitude before."

Facebook is still trying to figure out how the original problem got to such proportions in a matter of hours. Like other internet giants, it boasts that it never goes offline, but in the end it seems that a small human error is enough to take a risk. This is worrying, as Saunders said, "tolerance for such blackouts has decreased and people expect online services to work perfectly 365 days a year."

Apart from private users, such problems are also annoying for advertising companies and advertisers, who temporarily lose contact with their audience.

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