X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, experienced a global outage for approximately an hour on Thursday. Users were unable to access their regular posts and timelines, instead being greeted with a “Welcome to X!” message. The issue was first reported at about 12:40 a.m. ET on Thursday, with a surge in complaints on both the app and the website. In the US, over 74,000 people reported issues, while nearly 7,000 filed reports in the UK.
DownDetector, a web outage reporting site, showed a significant increase in reports during the outage. The platform aggregates status reports from user-submitted reports on its website and other sources, including Twitter. Both the app and the website experienced widespread issues, impacting users’ ability to use the platform as intended.
Despite these widespread reports, X did not immediately respond to requests for comment from CNET. The outage raised concerns among users and experts as to the platform’s stability and reliability, given its status as a major social media platform and communication tool.
X, which is now owned by Elon Musk after his acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion last year, underwent a major rebranding and overhaul. The platform was renamed X, and significant changes were introduced, including layoffs, changes to moderation and verification policies, and the unbanning of extremist accounts. These changes have contributed to a decline in the revenue from advertising, which was previously a key driver for the platform.
Many users were left frustrated by the outage, expressing their concerns and disappointment on other social media platforms and online forums. Some questioned the platform’s ability to handle the influx of new users and increased activity since Musk’s takeover, citing the need for stable and reliable service.
The outage comes at a time when social media platforms are under increased scrutiny and pressure to address issues related to misinformation, user safety, and content moderation. X has faced criticism for its handling of such issues, and the outage further fueled concerns about the platform’s ability to meet the demands and expectations of its users.
As the outage came to an end, X issued a statement acknowledging the issue and apologizing to users for the disruption. The platform assured users that steps were being taken to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future, emphasizing its commitment to delivering a stable and reliable service.
The outage serves as a reminder of the impact that technical issues can have on global social media platforms, affecting millions of users and raising questions about the platform’s resilience in the face of unprecedented demand. The incident has sparked discussions about the need for greater transparency and accountability from social media companies, particularly those that hold significant influence over public discourse and communication.
