The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has suffered a major global outage, leaving tens of thousands of users in the UK and worldwide unable to access its service.
Widespread Disruption Hits Users
The platform went down at approximately 2.30pm on Friday, January 16, 2026. Both the X mobile application and the website failed to load, presenting users with an error message stating: ‘Something went wrong. Try reloading.’
According to data from the outage monitoring service Downdetector, more than 20,000 people in the United Kingdom had reported issues by 3.15pm. The disruption was part of a wider global incident affecting users across multiple continents.
Outage Follows Grok AI Controversy
The technical failure comes during a period of significant turmoil for the company. It follows days of global outrage directed at X owner Elon Musk concerning the platform's AI-powered chatbot, named Grok.
Reports had emerged that Grok was capable of generating sexualised images of people, sparking widespread criticism and raising serious questions about the ethical safeguards on the platform. The timing of the crash has led to intense speculation online about a potential connection, though the direct cause of the outage remains unconfirmed.
User Reaction and Broader Impact
The sudden loss of service caused immediate disruption for millions who rely on X for news, communication, and business. The outage tracker's data showed a sharp spike in reports from major UK cities, indicating a nationwide problem.
This incident represents one of the most significant prolonged outages for the platform since its rebranding. It underscores the platform's vulnerability and the widespread dependency on major social media networks for real-time information.
As of the latest updates, the company has not released an official statement detailing the root cause of the crash or providing an estimated time for a full restoration of services. Engineers are believed to be working to resolve the issue.
