Twitter has experienced several technology failures in the past that have caused the platform to go offline or become unstable. Some of these failures have been the result of server issues, software bugs, or cyber attacks.
The "current API plan" part of the error message led to widespread speculation that the problem was related to Twitter's decision to charge for API access. "Did Twitter forget to subscribe to their own API?" one user asked. "Twitter's own products are breaking because it ended the free API," The Information tech reporter Paris Martineau wrote.
“A small API change had massive ramifications,” Twitter CEO Elon Musk wrote in a tweet on Monday, referring to the tool used by third-party developers who run programs that draw on Twitter data and post to its site. “The code stack is extremely brittle for no good reason. Will ultimately need a complete rewrite.”
It was the second time Monday he’d turned to that explanation, both times calling the site “brittle.”
Since taking over Twitter, CEO Elon Musk has laid off more than two-thirds of the company’s staff, embarking on aggressive cost-cutting and shedding workers in part by compelling them to commit to an “extremely hardcore” workplace or leave the company. The massive layoffs led to widespread concerns about Twitter’s ability to retain core functions, as critical engineering teams were reduced to one or zero staffers.
Musk and Twitter did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Since taking over Twitter, Musk has followed through with a plan to cut 75 percent of the company’s staff, aggressively cut costs and pursued new revenue streams, such as charging $8 a month for the company’s signature blue verification icons. But his tenure has also been marked by embarrassing mishaps, such as the botched rollout of the check mark feature, which resulted in a swarm of impersonators and prompted Twitter to temporarily pause the subscription service on multiple occasions.
Even before Musk’s takeover, Zatko, who was hired by Twitter in November 2020 as head of security, raised concerns about the potential for overlapping outages at Twitter's off-site data centres in a complaint filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in December 2020. The complaint alleged that Twitter was aware of the risks of overlapping outages but had failed to take adequate steps to mitigate those risks.
The potential consequences of overlapping outages at Twitter's data centres could be severe. In the event of such an outage, the platform could become inaccessible or unstable, potentially resulting in lost revenue, damage to the platform's reputation, and a loss of user trust.
Zatko's warning about overlapping outages at Twitter's data centres underscores the importance of robust and effective risk management practices in the technology industry. As the social media platform continues to grow in popularity and become more central to our daily lives, ensuring the reliability and security of these platforms is critical.
The warning by Twitter whistleblower Peiter Zatko about the potential event of overlapping outages at Twitter's off-site data centres serves as a reminder of the critical importance of effective risk management practices in the technology industry.
Monday wasn’t the first time Musk suggested Twitter’s code needed to be entirely rewritten. He has maintained that stance for months, since taking over the site last year. On a December Twitter Spaces, the site’s live audio feature, he said the company’s code base needed to be overhauled.
