Following the Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp outage, Mark Zuckerberg’s personal wealth fell by more than $6 billion in a few hours, knocking him down a notch on the list of the world’s richest people. But Twitter had a field day, as it ordered 59.6 million nuggets while its CEO Jack Dorsey inquired “how much” it’d cost to purchase Facebook on sale.
Presumably taking a big fat dig at Zuckerberg, the company said, “hello literally everyone,” from its official Twitter handle, instigating a barrage of memes. But taking none of it personally, Instagram replied, "Hi and happy Monday," with WhatsApp waving back. Seizing this opportunity, Reddit immediately asked, “How are you doing, Instagram social media manager?” while brazenly promoting itself in another tweet. “If you have some, ahem, free time, might we suggest the front page of Reddit?"
Can we all agree this is the best internet moment of 2021?
— 𝑇𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑛 🎃 (@decayofdragons) October 4, 2021
Aaah the irony #internetshutdown https://t.co/vWwy8F2KB4 pic.twitter.com/v6CFloqOsx
In the heat of the moment, trolls dug out the most hilarious memes and started sharing their love for Zuckerberg. “Mark Zuckerberg trying to fix the WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook crash,” shared a user with a photo of Zuckerberg’s face switched with an electrician’s.
Mark Zuckerberg trying to fix the WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook crash.#WhatsApp #instagramdown #Facebookdown pic.twitter.com/fE6Bo5pX6q
— Yaseen Khan (@yaseen_khan81) October 4, 2021
Even our local celebs joined the cause. Actor Ayesha Omar quipped, “Haaaaan bhaeee. Who’s eating what and where? Who’s wearing what and where? Who’s liking what and why? Who said what to who? And then what was their reply? Tweet please. So I can feel normal again.” She then shared her day’s Insta photos on Twitter to feel ‘validated’. “Posting today’s Insta photos here. So I continue to feel validated,” wrote the starlet.
Haaaaan bhaeee. Who’s eating what and where? Who’s wearing what and where? Who’s liking what and why? Who said what to who? And then what was their reply? Tweet karain please. So I can feel normal again.
— Ayesha Omar (@ayesha_m_omar) October 4, 2021
🤯
Posting today’s insta photos here. So I continue to feel validated.
— Ayesha Omar (@ayesha_m_omar) October 4, 2021
😔 pic.twitter.com/qyV2XTDQkm
Even actor Zahid Ahmed shared his appreciation for “this world without Whatsapp, Facebook and Instagram. Good with Netflix and Youtube, no?” he asked.
I think I quite like this world - without #whatsapp #facebook and #instagram. Good with Netflix and Youtube🤠..no?#mediacleanse
— Zahid Ahmed (@zahidahmed_) October 4, 2021
While a user told WhatsApp to “not fix anything,” because he needed a “break” from his girlfriend…
Please don’t fix anything, i need to take a break from my girlfriend
— Daudii West444🥀🦅🇹🇿🇿🇲 (@daudii444) October 4, 2021
A staunch Twitter user also took the opportunity to remind fellow netizens why Twitter is the champion of socials. “WhatsApp runs back to Twitter when it crashes. Meh Twitter is undefeated. Mark Zuckerberg ain't got nothing on us.” But a user also shared a video depicting how despite over $6 billion lost for Zuckerberg, the joke was on us.
WhatsApp runs back to Twitter when WhatsApp crashes.
— Benkingsley Nwashara (@Benking452) October 4, 2021
Mehn Twitter is undefeated. We're lucky. Mark Zuckerberg ain't got nothing on us pic.twitter.com/smeOrRV2oy
Twitter came through for Mark Zuckerberg. pic.twitter.com/XYatpKweEP
— FS Yusuf (@FS_Yusuf_) October 4, 2021
To make up for other people’s losses, Zuckerberg simply posted on his timeline after Facebook returned, “Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger are coming back online now. Sorry for the disruption today – I know how much you rely on our services to stay connected with the people you care about.” A little too late to save face, aren’t we?
Mark Zuckerberg watching all the disaster that he caused #facebookdown #instagramdown #whatsappdown pic.twitter.com/LX0SV42qL8
— Bavarian 𓆙 (@MxBavarian) October 4, 2021
But the conspiracy theorists were out! “I’m sure Mark Zuckerberg is busy with Zolotov hacking our data on WhatsApp right now!” tweeted a user. Others speculated whether the blackout was because of a ‘massive hack’, tied to Sunday night's “60 Minutes” episode where a Facebook whistleblower said that Facebook is “intentionally misleading the public and the government on its efforts to curb hate speech and misinformation.”
One of the most popular theories, according to VICE, centered on a supposed hack that resulted in 1.5 billion Facebook records being sold on a hacking forum. Many recalled a September 22 post from an alleged company called X2Emails which claimed to have "more than 1.5b Database of Facebook, scraped this year with 100% emails, including phone as well.”
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