Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk blamed a “massive DDOS attack” for interrupting his interview with former President Trump on his social media platform X. The interview, discussing topics like immigration and the US economy, was delayed due to technical difficulties. The chat, which saw about a million listeners in real-time, faced issues with the live audio streaming feature, Spaces.
A DDOS attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt server operations by flooding it with fake traffic. Musk hinted that the attack may have come from the US Democratic Party but did not provide evidence. This is not the first time X has experienced technical setbacks under Musk’s ownership. In a similar event in May 2023, an interview with Republican Governor Ron DeSantis faced issues with feedback and unclear audio.
Critics suggest that technical mishaps on X have increased since Musk took over the platform. Musk purchased Twitter for $44bn in 2022, leading to layoffs and financial struggles. Despite falling advertiser numbers and concerns about hate speech, Musk has positioned X as a “free speech” platform and reinstated the accounts of controversial figures, including Trump. Musk and X recently sued a group of advertisers for “boycotting” the platform. Documents obtained by Axios revealed that X had lost 71% of its value since Musk’s purchase.
Overall, Musk’s ownership of X has been marred by technical challenges and financial difficulties, but he remains committed to his vision of a platform that prioritizes free speech and challenges mainstream media.
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