Online shopping, streaming services, and even vital backend functions for other well-known websites have all been disrupted by a significant outage.
By Daniella Daoud and Kiera Mitchell-Camps
Knocking out some of the world’s most popular platforms temporarily, Amazon Web Services (AWS) experienced a massive internet outrage rippling across the globe recently. From Snapchat to Fortnite, streaming and banking services, and even some smart home tools, all felt the impact.
Due to an issue with one of its key database products, AWS, a cloud hosting service that powers a large portion of the internet and common online tools, fell offline just after three in the morning, according to the company.
It began in AWS’s primary data centre region, US-EAST-1 in Northern Virginia, when a subsystem monitoring network load balancers failed. This resulted in cascading issues with DNS resolution and connection for services that rely on AWS infrastructure.
The system status dashboard indicated “increased error rates and latencies”, while numerous platforms reported login difficulties, latency spikes, or outright inaccessibility. At its peak, outage tracker Downdetector received millions of user complaints worldwide.
By the afternoon, AWS reported the core issue was “fully mitigated” and most services were back online.
For many users, the outage was dramatic. Attempts to use Snapchat resulted in “login failed” errors or banking apps were failing to authenticate. Tech news described it as an “internet earthquake” because of how many platforms went down.
It was a spider web of many small and big apps you would not have even known were connected. Some businesses that rely on AWS for hosting were forced into emergency workarounds or suffered downtime, while others simply posted “we are aware and are working on it” notices.
But beyond the technical failure itself, it was the public reaction that turned the situation into a viral cultural moment.
‘Like the end of the world.’
When Snapchat stopped loading and messages failed to send, many users quickly took to TikTok to voice their frustration, confusion, and in some cases, melodrama.
Videos with captions like “I’m gonna crash out, why is Snapchat not working?” and “Snapchat, what are you doing? I can’t stalk my boyfriend” flooded the For You pages.
One user, Niall, described the scene succinctly: “I feel like it was an overreaction,” he said. “It was like the end of the world to people. I did notice it, saw screenshots, but I didn’t really think much of it.”
This reflects what many expressed online: a sense that while the outage was inconvenient, the intense panic felt disproportionate. Notifications, streaks, and messages were delayed, but nothing irreplaceable occurred. Yet, for some, the inability to use their go-to apps was genuinely distressing.
Not everyone experienced this outage in the same way. A group of girls we spoke to admitted they didn’t realise there was a problem until they saw it online. “W didn’t really notice it,” they explained. “We saw it on TikTok and saw people complaining about it.”
Their experience illustrates how quickly online discourse can amplify an issue. A minor technical glitch can become a trending topics, with countless users expressing their frustration for the camera; the outage became less about the actual inconvenience and more about the shared experience of reacting to it.
TikTok, ironically one of the platforms least affected, became the stage for commentary, memes and heated opinions. Some creators mocked the panic, while others expressed genuine annoyance or concern.
TikTok creator @Sophieegbaran captured this in a strongly worded video, saying, “That’s not normal,” referring to the people she’s seen overreacting.
She went on to argue that people “need to go outside” and even compared the situation to “people caring about a streak more than religion,” suggesting that “this generation’s priorities are out of place.”
Her comments struck a chord with many viewers who agreed that the outrage over a temporary outage revealed just how dependent people have become on their favourite apps. What was once a fun communication tool has, for many, turned into something essential.
But not all reactions were exaggerated. For some users, apps like Snapchat are more than just a fun distraction. It’s their primary source of communication. TikTok user @MIKEZ shared the other side of the story.
He expressed distress about not having access to the app, explaining that he doesn’t give out his number and uses Snapchat as one of his main sources of communication. He added that he’s even heard from his friends that “It’s ruining relationships,” but ended his video by referring to it as a “dumb little app.”
This outage was not the first of its kind, nor will it be the last. Major platform disruptions have occurred in the past, from Instagram blackouts to Google server issues. What makes these moments significant is not just the technical failure, but the way they expose our collective dependency on digital platforms.
By the time AWS restored full functionality, the internet had already produced thousands of memes, hot takes, and reaction videos. Within hours, life returned to ‘normal’, but the conversation the outage sparked will linger on.
Featured Photo by Hiroko Nishimura via Unsplash.