Users of the platform express worry as pictures and links are removed from posts created prior to December 2014
Elon Musk, previously Twitter’s owner, remarked that the social platform could face failure due to a glitch erasing pictures from pre-December 2014. In a post on the now-renamed platform X, Musk stated, “Regrettably, there are no remarkable ‘social networks’ at present.” He further noted, “While many foresee our potential failure, we will strive to establish at least one.”
During the weekend, a platform glitch led to the removal of pictures and links from posts created prior to December 2014. These posts displayed broken links in place of the previously embedded pictures and videos.
The glitch was observed by multiple users, with technologist Tom Coates being one of those who highlighted it. Coates labeled the glitch as “significant disruption caused by Musk” and implied it might be a measure to cut costs.
Even Ellen DeGeneres’ renowned Oscars selfie from 2014 encountered removal but was subsequently reinstated. This photo became the platform’s most retweeted image, amassing over 2 million shares. Meanwhile, former US president Barack Obama’s viral post following his 2012 election victory remained untouched.
Certain users speculated that the glitch might have arisen from an attempt to economize storage data, while others linked it to alterations introduced on the platform in 2016. These changes involved the incorporation of “enhanced URL enrichment,” aimed at presenting previews for linked content and attachments that exceeded the company’s 140-character limit, as reported by The Verge.
The glitch emerged subsequent to Musk’s decision to impose a delay on accessing various other social media platforms, including Meta-owned Facebook, Threads, and Instagram. This five-second delay also encompassed access to the New York Times website.
In the earlier part of this year, users observed a change where posting and messaging capabilities were restricted. A notification indicated they had surpassed the “daily limit for sending tweets,” and direct messages ceased to function as well. The company expressed regret for the inconvenience in a post. Earlier instances of glitches had also rendered users incapable of logging in or accessing their own posts.
Since Musk assumed control, Twitter has significantly downsized its workforce, eliminating numerous positions since November.
