Twitter’s Technical Failures Highlight User Frustrations and Workarounds
The recent technical failures of Twitter, now branded as X, have ignited widespread frustration among its users. On November 21, 2025, the platform experienced its third major outage in a week, leaving millions staring at frozen timelines and blank feeds. Despite the chaos, users took matters into their own hands, sharing makeshift solutions. One such recommendation became a viral sensation: “TLが死んでて検索はいけるっぽいので filter:follows include:nativeretweets -filter:repliesの出番,” which translates roughly to a call for users to bypass their broken timelines by using an advanced search command.
This trick serves to filter tweets from accounts that a user follows while excluding replies. It’s a clever way to simulate a functioning timeline amidst technical dysfunction. This incident underscores a critical issue: the shaky reliability of X under its current management and evolving technical environment.
Data from Down Detector reveals that the November 21 failure struck around 3:17 p.m. GMT, with user complaints skyrocketing to tens of thousands in just an hour. Reports of the outage came from the U.S., U.K., and various European nations, indicating a broad impact. The AI chatbot Grok attempted to reassure users with messages like “Hang tight,” but no immediate fixes were on the horizon. Such silence from official channels raises questions about the company’s responsiveness during crises.
This outage followed two earlier disruptions: the first on November 18, caused by a data center fire, and the second the following week, linked to instability in Cloudflare’s network—an external service that supports much of X’s operations. However, during this latest failure, X’s own developer platform reported no ongoing issues, raising concerns about the reliability of their monitoring systems. The disconnect suggests potential breakdowns in both the platform’s infrastructure and its operational communication.
The invocation of advanced search commands harks back to an earlier, simpler iteration of Twitter, where users interacted with a straightforward, chronological feed. Yet now, the need for such workarounds reflects a growing discontent with the platform’s current state. Over the past year, X has pivoted toward monetization, introducing key changes that have potentially alienated its user base:
- The introduction of a paid verification model replacing previously free checkmarks.
- Restrictions on direct messages for non-paying users.
- The removal of ad transparency tools related to targeting algorithms.
- Obstructions for third-party apps trying to access the platform’s API.
These shifts create friction for a variety of groups—journalists, small business owners, developers, and average users alike. Many are finding it harder to stay connected, as their feeds are increasingly dominated by viral content rather than updates from friends or niche accounts. Users are reporting that they are now more likely to encounter influencers rather than the kind of content they actually want during times of technical failure.
“The timeline’s broken, but search still works—if you know how to use it,” one user remarked after the outage. This statement illustrates how much the platform has strayed from its original purpose of providing real-time information flow. Users now rely on engineered workarounds to stay informed, transforming advanced features into necessities.
Technical experts attribute part of the issue to X’s hybrid infrastructure model, adopted after its acquisition. To reduce costs, the company has shifted from traditional data centers to a mix of leased facilities, outdated servers, and third-party services. This cost-cutting move invites risks, particularly during sudden spikes in user activity or hardware malfunctions.
The financial ramifications of these outages are striking. Reports indicate that the November 18 disruption alone cost X an estimated $285,000 per hour in lost advertising revenue. Although the November 21 failure was shorter, it likely inflicted similar financial wounds. The previews of chronic downtime further erode public confidence in X’s ability to serve as a reliable global communications platform.
As sentiments escalate among users, policy experts advocate for closer regulatory scrutiny. In Europe, the Digital Services Act empowers authorities to investigate or impose fines on platforms that fail to deliver stable services. The recent outages and opaque responses from X may well fall under this jurisdiction. In the U.S., regulatory sentiment is more subdued, but growing concerns indicate that the issue of infrastructure reliability transcends commercial interests.
Failures in critical systems like timelines and messaging carry broader implications. During outages, users miss important updates from vital institutions, such as weather forecasts, health advisories, and law enforcement alerts. The need to manually search or utilize specialized filters to access crucial information during a crisis can lead to dangerous delays.
This illustrates why simple yet effective solutions, like the one shared in the viral tweet, are becoming increasingly essential. Advanced search commands—once largely the domain of tech-savvy users—are transforming into essential tools for everyone seeking a functional news feed.
Nevertheless, these short-term fixes are merely band-aids. The creation of a trustworthy and reliable communications platform requires comprehensive transparency, significant investment in infrastructure, and a commitment to user accountability.
Until such improvements occur, users will continue to lean on workarounds, leading to more tweets like “filter:follows include:nativeretweets -filter:replies—it’s the only thing still working.”
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