WhatsApp down: Messaging app not working for some users

Anthony Cuthbertson
Sunday 19 January 2020 13:02 GMT
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Whatsapp down: Messaging app not working for some users

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WhatsApp is down for users around the world due to a major outage.

Hundreds of people reported problems with the popular messaging app on Sunday morning, though WhatsApp is yet to publicly acknowledge the issue.

Website health tracker Down Detector recorded troubles with sending and receiving messages on WhatsApp.

Europe is the worst affected region, though parts of Asia and South America also face severe disruption.

It is the latest in a series of outages to hit the Facebook-owned app, with a major incident in March last year leaving users cut off for nearly an entire day.

More than 500 million people use the app each day and many have taken out their frustrations across Twitter and Facebook.

A spokesperson for WhatsApp did not immediately respond to a request for comment.​

A report earlier this month revealed that WhatsApp is the worst-hit platform for internet shutdowns.

The app suffered 6,236 hours of deliberate disruption in 2019, largely as a result of authoritarian governments blocking access to it.

The app's secure encryption and vast user base make it popular among protesters who want to evade authorities during periods of civil unrest.

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