Why is there a chirping sound on Facebook? How to turn it off and all you need to know about the strange phenomenon

Facebook is chirping, and netizens are naturally confused about it. On Tuesday, February 13, many Facebook users reported that the social media app on their phones was making a rather bizarre chirping sound while they were scrolling through their feed. For some users, the chirping problem seems to have started a while ago, as far back as last Saturday even.

Although USA Today initially called the new sound a brand new feature that made scrolling more "interactive", Meta spokesperson Andy Stone clarified in a tweet that the sound was a "technical error" they were in the process of fixing. If users are too annoyed by the sound, they'll be pleased to learn it can be fixed by turning off the in-app sounds option from the settings menu of the app.

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Meta spokesperson says Facebook chirping sound that left users annoyed was an "unfortunate technical error"

As early as late last week, Facebook users were struck with confusion and even annoyance when they encountered an unexpected, random, and bizarre sound of a chirp while routinely scrolling through their timelines. No amount of restarts could solve the issue, which prompted people to flock to X, in hopes of figuring out if they were alone in their troubles. To their collective relief, they were indeed not alone.

Initial reports of what the chirping sound was varied. On Monday, February 12, USA Today published an article stating that the chirping sound was part of a new Facebook update that aimed at making the user experience "more engaging and interactive." However, this was not true and their information has since been updated.

Meta spokesperson, Andy Stone, released a tweet early on Tuesday, acknowledging the chirping sounds on the social media app and confirming the sound was indeed just a technical error.

"Hearing a chirping noise while scrolling through your Facebook Feed on your iPhone? It’s not you, it’s us! And it’s an unfortunate technical error that we're in the process of fixing."

However, Stone's tweet did not sit well with a few X users, who even alleged that the chirping sound on the social media platform was an indication of the company spying on everyone. One user even compared the chirp to the clicking allegedly heard before land phones were wire-tapped.

Some users were extremely suspicious of the chirping sounds (Image via X/@andymstone)

However, if you are extremely annoyed by the chirping noise and just want to go back to scrolling your Facebook TL in peace, there is one simple solution - turn off the in-app sounds option. Here are the steps to get rid of the chirping sound on your iPhone:

• Step 1: Open the Facebook app.
• Step 2: Open the menu by clicking on the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner.
• Step 3: Go to the '"Settings & Privacy" section in the menu and select "Settings."
• Step 4: Scroll down to the "Media" section and unselect the "In-App Sounds" option under "Sounds."

It is worth noting that turning off the in-app sounds will not affect the sound of regular content. There have also not been any other updates or details regarding the technical issue and what caused it since Andy Stone's tweet on Tuesday.