Elon Musk recently blamed a “massive DDOS attack” for interrupting his interview with Donald Trump on the social media platform X. The interview, which was highly anticipated, saw Musk and Trump discussing immigration and the US economy in a friendly banter. Trump, who made several unsubstantiated claims, was endorsed by Musk for the upcoming presidential elections. The conversation was eventually reinstated, with 20 million people listening to the recording.
The technical glitch occurred less than an hour into the interview, with users facing error messages and crashed websites when trying to access the live audio stream. Musk mentioned a potential DDOS attack and said his team was working to resolve the issue. He later hinted that the attack may have come from the US Democratic Party, though no proof was provided.
DDOS attacks are malicious attempts to disrupt server operations by flooding them with fake traffic. Similar technical setbacks have occurred on X in the past, with user numbers falling drastically during a livestream event with Ron DeSantis in May 2023.
Analysts suggest that technical mishaps on X have increased since Musk took over the platform and made significant staff cuts. Musk has positioned X as a platform for free speech, reinstating suspended accounts of controversial figures like Trump. The platform has faced financial challenges, including a drop in advertiser and user numbers, prompting Musk to sue advertisers who have boycotted the platform.
Despite these challenges, X remains a significant player in the social media landscape, with Musk’s vision for the platform as a free speech advocate continuing to shape its direction.
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