Somebody shot Twitter out of its tree this morning. And the Internet pranksters also took a shot at Facebook.
Twitter was shut down for nearly three hours this morning, from around 9 to noon, by a Distributed Denial Of Service attack, meaning an automated bombardment by hackers. During that time, Facebook struggled mightily with error messages, and the company has revealed that its problems were also the result of a DDOS attack. The Facebbook problems might have also been compounded by an influx of traffic due to Twitter's problems.
Later in the day, some Twitter users still complained they could not access the site. Twitter reported on its blog that it was still recovering from the bombardment of automated messages and requests.
This was the biggest shutdown in Twitter's recent history, or since the 25 million strong micro-blogging social media site became popular. It's not know who launched the attack. Because of its automated nature -- bombarding the site with more messages and demands than it could handle -- it could have been carried out by an individual or a large number of hackers.
For the company's comments on this, you can find the Twitter blog updates here.
Over at Facebook, users complained of problems -- "transport error" messages appeared to be rampant during the morning. Many functions were slow or are not working. For about an hour, many users complained they could user neither site.
There were signs earlier of the spammer attack at Twitter. The social media blog Mashable reporteda huge wave of spam from compromised account yesterday. And Twitter's Top Trending Topics before the site went down were: Tweets Created and Twitter Zombies, further suggesting the possibility of a hacker bombardment.
This brings into sharp focus how reliant we have become on the social networks. Do we need Twitter and Facebook? Or do we just like them? The melodrama of this morning will likely be remembered for how users reacted to the surprising and disorienting void in their routines. And the disgust and sarcasm of non-users must also be noted.
It also brings up the question of how vulnerable the social networks are. If both have been hit by hackers in a simultaneous prank, is this a serious problem?
We just like them. Maybe we'll come to need them, but that thought is an illusion at this point.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing: "blurty social network"? That's at least the second day in the row that you've used that phrase. Comes across as a tad negative since it fails to describe social's media's conversational aspects.
Besides that, thanks for the update on the Twitters, Jeff.
I need my Twitter like I need my morning caffeine. Sure I can live without it but I am in a much better mood when I can access it. I know some people think it is just about posting what you are doing right now but for some, it is more then that. I do job searches on there, get my news from there at times and communicate with people I know well who do not live in the area and can interact with them.
ReplyDeleteand I thought that it was just me...the question of need is relative. if you use Twitter for work/business - then you are in a world of hurt right now.
ReplyDeleteBut now is the perfect time to clean that pigsty of a house :-)
It's a coordinated effort by the whitehouse to silence the critics of the health care reform... (just kidding)
ReplyDeleteGot God Gang
ReplyDeletetwitter is in a holding pattern
i don't follow anybody because none of the leaders are doing anything
our streets are dangerouse and the leadership thinks it's goin' straighten itself out by itself
what all of a sudden safe again
no i don't follow the leaders because you can't lead if you're following the crowd
i'm the ' B U L L '
facebook is happening
i've reconnected with some women friends that otherwise the relationships would of remained dormat
thank you facbook
you're what's happeninin'
more later....
DO we need them or like them? Every trend starts as a "like" and becomes a "need." Do we need TV, phones, and air conditioning? They were luxuries at one point, and all have pretty much become needs.
ReplyDeleteGiven the level that Twitter has integrated into so many tools, not to mention the communication needs of millions, I think it's now become a need.
Of course, we used to "need" horses on a daily basis, and look what happened there. Twitter today seems to be dealing with a DOS attack, but in the past it's been buggy and unreliable. They should be careful, because Twitter users can move on to other sites more easily than people suspect (see Six Degrees, Friendster, and MySpace.)
Thanks,
Augie
ExperienceTheBlog.com
Who really cares about twitter?
ReplyDeleteThis whole Twitter/Myspace/Facebook is an abomination and should be taken offline forever. The devil himself loves these as they corrupt the mind and then lives start falling apart. No one should have such disgusting needs such as these blasphemous tools used for peole to have sex.
ReplyDeleteFB is just, ok.
ReplyDeleteTwitter, is just there... or maybe not?
"This brings into sharp focus how reliant we have become on the social networks."
ReplyDeleteAre you people insane? The Jeff Elder rubbish above would seem to say so. I've been up this morning, out for a run, had breakfast, read the paper (yes, the newspaper - how quaint), driven to work, interacted with my co-workers and the public, and so far, seem to be doing quite well, thank you. I feel quite healthy, thanks, and not at all deprived. No, my world has not collapsed without Twitter, my company has not gone bankrupt, and I might be able to make it to the end of the day on my own. Sick. Sick.
I have recently moved to an new house and I don't have internet yet. Although I can not check my 'social networks' I have been living without them and not too sad about it.
ReplyDeleteHackers? It's obviously ESPN.
ReplyDelete"9 A.M. this morning"? - Where is your editor?! You're being redundant again.
ReplyDeletei never understood why somebody would get off on causing minor inconveniences...oh no no twitter and i can't update my facebook p-file...i use both of these things but unlike these computer nerds or hackers or whatever i have more important things in my life.
ReplyDeleteIt sad people rely so much on these social networks...just so they can feel like they have a life and friends :(
ReplyDeleteYou say it's over, but they have not resumed services to me. Are we still under attack?
ReplyDeleteIn 140 characters or less
You say the attack is over. Not so. I am still denied access.
ReplyDeleteIn 140 characters or less
I can certainly see how not knowing that someone was sitting in their backyard would be detrimental to all of us.
ReplyDeleteTwitter was down? Who cares?
The value in Twitter is that it creates NEW relationships, while I've found FB to be more of a nostalgia trip, facilitating connections with people from the past (can't tell you how many high school folks have requested to be my 'friend' - even the woman who threw rocks at me in 4th grade!).
ReplyDeleteSo for me, as a small business owner looking to grow my network, Twitter is an invaluable part. Sure, 2-3 hours inconvenience is nothing - but a large percentage of my client base is a direct result of Twitter-created relationships. So do I NEED Twitter? I think I could argue that my ongoing need for a paycheck means yes, I do. FB? Eh, not so much....
My God, what kind of a business does one run that your client base is made up of people you have met on some sleazy thing like twitter! These things are like death. They only transmit lies. These people from your past couldn't possibly be your 'friend', and there's a reason the Lord didn't make it possible in all our past history to be able to intrude on lives and warp the minds of so many through a deception. These things are for sexual deviance and those who don't know how to go out and interact with real human beings.
ReplyDeleteI went for a walk, got some writing done, baked a cake, and had a rather nice time.
ReplyDeleteWow, anon @ 11:21 & 3:45 - you must be having a lot more fun with twitter & facebook than I am! I don't connect those with sex at all. Am I doing it wrong?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said..The devil himself loves these as they corrupt the mind and then lives start falling apart..my reply;sexual deviance are you sure, believe in god, I do, freedom of choice he gave, an ever expanding mind he created, a single minded person you to want people to conform to how you see it is wrong, more like what you would say is devils work, you can give information, but what people do with it it up to them. go out meet people, when you must look over your shoulder in some places, most wars start because some hold what they believe as a sword, instead of an open hand;
ReplyDeletecorrupt, only people who try to force their opinion on others may be trying to corrupt.
live and let live, if one peoson get something out of any of these networks then it is a good thing, you wont get anything bad, as you can turn it off, only a fool totally believes what he tells others to believe, there will always be someone who trys to say living is wrong.
Yes, people all over are using the twitter and facebook and myspace to rendezvous for gay sex and the like. May God have mercy on the teenagers who started these vile websites. Only a coward living under these addictions would come to their defense by saying that there is no harm being done. Keep your business to yourself and keep out of others business. From the way the world is going down the commode, people should get off the computer and take care of their life, AND their sadistic addictions fueled by these trashy website creations.
ReplyDeleteTWITTER:
ReplyDelete9:33 a.m. - "I'm buring in Hell. Wish you were here."
- Love, SATAN
in response to Anonymous @ 11:21am, 3:45pm, 9:32am, above...
ReplyDeleteit seems like you are spending a lot of time on the internet, and on this blog. you do realize that you can meet people on here... and you are voicing your opinion on something, very much like you can on FB and twitter. YOU ARE ON A POSSIBLE SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE! careful, it may lead to gay sex!
More lies. This is not a social networking site like those other pieces of blasphemous garbage. Only someone like you who promotes lives being ruined through gay sex would come to it's defense and try to say a site of the Charlotte Observer's even compares. What a sick and tragic mind. Remember, "God didn't corrupt the mind.....the Devil took the mind" - Prophetess Hardaway, Raeford NC. Hopefully you will stop the lies and go out and meet real people instead of living this lie.
ReplyDelete