Meta apologizes after Instagram disruption affects users in Vietnam

A Meta representative told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the company was aware of the issue and apologized for any inconvenience caused to users.

“The issue has now been resolved and affected accounts have been restored,” the representative said.

Many users confirmed that Meta had restored their accounts, allowing them to resume using Instagram.

As of now, no new reports of similar issues have been recorded, while account access, login, and verification systems have reportedly returned to stable operations.

Meta did not disclose the technical cause behind the incident. However, the company’s confirmation that it was a temporary issue that has since been fixed indicates that the system has been adjusted to stable operations.

Many cybersecurity experts believe the incident may have involved a mass spam or mass-reporting campaign targeting Instagram accounts, especially online shops in Vietnam.

According to these experts, the disruption may not have been a random technical malfunction but rather a deliberate attack exploiting weaknesses in Instagram’s automated systems and user vulnerability.

The incident occurred from Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning, when many Instagram users suddenly received notifications claiming they had violated community standards, after which their accounts were immediately disabled.

Amid concerns over security, numerous Instagram users, particularly online sellers, temporarily stopped operating on Instagram and shifted operations to Zalo, Facebook, and Threads.

Several business accounts, especially online shops heavily dependent on Instagram, reported disruptions that directly affected customer access, order processing, and customer support services.

One business specializing in handmade products said that although its account was restored on Wednesday morning, operations had not yet fully returned to normal.

“We need longer-term solutions, such as investing in security systems and enabling two-factor authentication, to prevent similar incidents from recurring,” a representative of the business said.