Cloud Crash on Diwali: AWS Outage Disrupts Amazon, Snapchat, and Global Web Services

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A massive Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage on October 20, 2025, disrupted major websites and apps worldwide, including Amazon, Snapchat, Canva, and Fortnite. The incident coincided with Diwali, affecting millions during peak digital activity. While partial recovery began later in the day, many platforms continued to face intermittent issues.

Global Internet Disruption as AWS Servers Go Dark

In a stark reminder of the internet’s cloud dependency, Amazon Web Services (AWS) suffered a widespread outage on Monday, October 20, 2025, crippling dozens of popular platforms across sectors. The disruption began early in the day and impacted users globally, with reports flooding Downdetector and social media.

Key highlights from the outage:

- Affected Platforms
Amazon.com, Prime Video, Alexa, Snapchat, Canva, Robinhood, Venmo, Duolingo, Roblox, Crunchyroll, Fortnite, and Rainbow Six Siege were among the services hit hardest.

- Timing and Scale
The outage coincided with Diwali celebrations, a peak time for digital engagement in India and abroad. Downdetector recorded over 50,000 outage reports by mid-morning.

- Nature of the Disruption
Users faced login failures, frozen interfaces, and server errors. Streaming, gaming, financial services, and AI tools were all affected, revealing the extent of AWS’s backend dominance.

- Amazon’s Response
Amazon acknowledged the issue and confirmed that engineers were investigating the root cause. Some services began recovering later in the day, but full restoration remained pending for several platforms.

- Speculation of Cyberattack
Viral claims suggested a possible cyberattack, with some pointing fingers at foreign actors. However, no official confirmation has been provided, and experts urge caution against premature conclusions.

- Broader Implications
The outage exposed vulnerabilities in cloud-reliant ecosystems. Businesses and users alike were reminded of the risks tied to centralized infrastructure, prompting calls for greater redundancy and decentralization.

- Social Media Reaction
Hashtags like #AWSdown and #SnapchatCrashed trended globally, with users sharing memes, complaints, and outage maps. The incident sparked renewed debate on digital resilience.

As AWS works to restore full functionality, the outage serves as a wake-up call for tech providers and users. In an increasingly cloud-driven world, even a few hours of downtime can ripple across industries and continents.

Sources: Odisha Bytes, Financial Express, OneIndia, Tom’s Guide, Economic Times