On March 27, 2025, social media platforms Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) faced significant technical difficulties that left thousands of users frustrated and unable to access their accounts. The outages began around 2:30 p.m. ET, as reported by DownDetector, a site that tracks online service disruptions.
Reddit users across the United States experienced a complete blackout of the site, with both its website and mobile app going offline. Attempts to load Reddit resulted in error messages and blank pages, indicating a widespread service disruption. By 2 p.m., approximately 25,000 users had reported issues with Reddit, according to DownDetector.
In contrast, X saw a spike in complaints about slow load times and problems sending direct messages. As of 3:15 p.m. ET, however, reports indicated that X had returned to normal functionality, with user complaints dropping significantly. Yet, many Reddit users continued to report problems accessing the platform throughout the afternoon.
While the exact cause of the outages remains unclear, some users speculated about a potential link to Amazon Web Services (AWS), which many websites and platforms rely on for backend infrastructure. However, no confirmation has been made regarding this theory.
Geographically, the issues were concentrated in major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Dallas. Users in the UK also faced connection problems, with over 7,000 reported instances of outages by 7:11 p.m. local time. Of these, 59 percent of issues were linked to the Reddit app, while 36 percent were attributed to the website.
In a post on X, Reddit's official status account acknowledged the outage, stating, "We are currently investigating this issue." This was a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges these platforms face in maintaining reliable service.
Interestingly, the outages came just weeks after Elon Musk, CEO of X, suggested that a previous service disruption was the result of a cyberattack. On March 10, Musk claimed that X was under constant attack and that a massive cyberattack had caused an earlier outage. He mentioned that a "large, coordinated group and/or a country" might be involved, although he did not specify any particular entity.
In the wake of the current outages, many users took to other social media platforms to express their frustrations. One user humorously remarked, "Reddit is down? Time to go outside and remember what sunlight feels like," while others lamented the loss of access to their favorite online discussions.
As the day progressed, users remained hopeful for quick resolutions. Service to X appeared to be restored by around 2:20 p.m., but Reddit's issues persisted, leading to continued speculation about the underlying causes.
In summary, the simultaneous outages of Reddit and X on March 27, 2025, highlight the fragility of online communication platforms and the reliance of millions on these services for social interaction and information sharing. As users await further updates, the incident serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by tech companies in ensuring consistent service amidst growing demands and potential threats.
As more information becomes available, both companies will likely face scrutiny regarding their infrastructure and security measures to prevent future disruptions. Users are encouraged to stay updated via official channels as investigations into the outages continue.
