X Platform Experiences Second Global Outage in 30 Days, Affecting Portuguese Users

X experienced its second major outage in 30 days on Monday afternoon, affecting users globally including Portugal. The platform became inaccessible for several hours, preventing users from posting, messaging, or viewing feeds.

The outage began at approximately 13:41 Lisbon time and lasted until late afternoon. According to DownDetector, which tracks user-reported outages, Portuguese users reported 589 incidents during the disruption, with neighboring Spain reporting 3,818 complaints. The platform eventually restored service, though no official explanation was immediately provided for the cause.

What Happened

Users attempting to access X encountered loading errors and were unable to connect to the service across both web and mobile platforms. The outage affected the platform globally, not just in Portugal or Europe. This marks the second significant disruption within a 30-day period, raising questions about the platform's infrastructure reliability.

Separate Issues: Regulatory Fine and Appeal

Independently of this outage, X is currently appealing a €120 million fine imposed by the European Commission in December. The Commission found the platform violated the Digital Services Act (DSA) in three areas:

Misleading verification system (€45M penalty): X's paid verification feature allows anyone to purchase a blue checkmark, potentially misleading users about account authenticity, the Commission determined.

Inadequate advertising transparency (€35M penalty): The Commission cited deficiencies in X's advertising repository, which is designed to help users understand who is paying for promoted content.

Researcher access restrictions (€40M penalty): X limited independent researchers' access to public data, which the DSA permits for studying information spread and platform practices.

X filed an appeal with the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, characterizing the Commission's investigation as "incomplete and superficial." The Commission has stated it is "ready to defend its decision in court."

Additional Regulatory Matters

The Commission also launched a separate investigation into Grok, X's artificial intelligence chatbot, after discovering it generated synthetic nude images. This investigation operates independently of both the outage and the €120M fine appeal.

Context for Portuguese Users

For Portuguese users and businesses that rely on X for communication or professional purposes, the recurring outages underscore the importance of having backup communication channels. While the platform has experienced two significant disruptions in recent weeks, X has not yet announced specific infrastructure improvements or technical investments designed to prevent future outages.

Users concerned about platform reliability may consider maintaining presence on alternative platforms, though any decision to diversify communication channels should be based on individual needs and circumstances.