Facebook says it fixed Messenger bug that reposts old messages

Facebook has confirmed that it has fixed a flaw on Messenger, that brought back old posts, and featured them as new updates.

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Users spotted the flaw on Facebook’s desktop platform, and is considered to be due to faulty code as part of the social media network’s ‘Memories’ feature. (Image Source: Bloomberg)

Facebook appears to have resolved a Messenger issue that brought back chats from years ago, reports The Verge. The messenger bug was reported in the early hours of the day via Twitter and Reddit, as users reported seeing old chat threads, including those of tragic events.

Users first spotted the flaw on Facebook’s desktop platform, and is considered to be due to faulty code as part of the social media network’s ‘Memories’ feature. While this feature reminds a user of historic moments, such as a friend anniversary, or a popular status/photo, many complainants reported that they also saw flashbacks of friends/family members who have passed away, or moments with a former partner. People admitted seeing new posts on their chats, but claimed they represented a chain of past events.

Facebook, in response, appears to have sent a prompt reply acknowledging the problem. Soon after, the platform confirmed that it had fixed the issue. As per a statement given to The Verge, Facebook said, “Earlier today, some people may have experienced Facebook resending older messages. The issue, caused by software updates, has been fully resolved. We’re sorry for any inconvenience.”

Also read: Facebook could introduce digital skills program before 2019 polls

This is not the first such instance of Facebook rolling back years-old chats into its platforms. A similar issue was noticed in 2015, soon after the ‘On This Day’ feature was introduced. At that time, Facebook had claimed an issue with the feature’s algorithm, as it was unable to distinguish between engagements on positive and negative posts.

The mention of ‘software updates’ could be an indication that Facebook is acting upon recent data privacy issues, as well as political advertising for elections across countries.