Cloudflare experiences global outage: Thousands of users affected, X, ChatGPT and other platforms temporarily unable to access the site.

Cloudflare (NET.N), an internet infrastructure company, recently experienced a global service outage that left thousands of users unable to access key online platforms, including social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and the AI ​​chatbot ChatGPT. The company's network handles approximately one-fifth of global internet traffic, and this incident is the latest blow to its major online services.

Cloudflare Service Outages and Recovery

Cloudflare stated that they began investigating the internal service degradation incident at approximately 6:40 a.m. Eastern Time (ET).

The company has implemented remediation measures, and services are gradually returning to normal.

However, Cloudflare noted that some customers may still be affected as services are being restored.

According to an email statement sent by the company, the service outage began at approximately 11:20 UTC when one of its services experienced an "abnormal surge in traffic," causing some traffic flowing through the Cloudflare network to malfunction.

Cloudflare stated, "We are working tirelessly to ensure all traffic is delivered without errors."

Affected platforms include the design software Canva, the social networking platform X, the dating app Grindr, and ChatGPT. Users reported the service outages using Downdetector, a tool for tracking website downtime.

Cloudflare recovery status and market reaction

According to Downdetector data, the number of Cloudflare-related issue reports peaked at nearly 5,000, but by around 8 a.m. Eastern Time, the number of reports had dropped to about 600.

Cloudflare operates one of the world's largest networks, primarily helping websites and applications load faster and stay online by protecting them from traffic surges and cyberattacks. Following this incident, the company's stock price fell by approximately 5% in pre-market trading.

Cloudflare has recently experienced a series of service disruptions.

This Cloudflare outage is another major event affecting global internet services, following last month's Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage. Last month's AWS outage caused disruptions worldwide, rendering thousands of popular websites and applications, including Snapchat (SNAP.N) and Reddit (RDDT.N), inaccessible. OpenAI, the developer of X and ChatGPT, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding this outage.

Short video platforms such as TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts have become an indispensable part of modern life. However, a systematic review and meta-analysis involving nearly 100,000 participants and 71 studies revealed a significant association between excessive use of short videos and health problems such as decreased attention span and mood swings. The findings provide a clearer picture of the relationship between social media use and brain health, and prompt people to consider how to interact with these platforms in a more balanced way.

The popularity of short videos extends beyond entertainment.

Short-form videos (SFVs) were originally primarily for entertainment, but they have now permeated a wide range of fields, including education, political propaganda, and consumer marketing. These videos quickly grab users' attention and increase user engagement through algorithmic push notifications and infinitely scrolling interfaces.

Research indicates that while this design increases user engagement, it also raises concerns about "digital addiction" and mental and physical health. The high frequency and stimulating content of short videos may have long-term effects on the brain's cognitive processing abilities.

Heavy use is moderately associated with cognitive decline.

This meta-analysis, led by Griffith University in Australia and integrating data from 14 studies, showed a moderate negative correlation (r = -0.34) between short video use and overall cognitive function. Attention (r = -0.38) and inhibitory control (r = -0.41) were the most significantly affected.

Studies indicate that repeated exposure to fast-paced, highly stimulating short video content may lead to a lack of patience and decreased concentration for slower-paced activities or activities requiring sustained focus (such as reading or problem-solving).

Algorithm reward mechanisms weaken self-control.

Short video platforms enhance users' "instant gratification needs" through immediate feedback and dopamine stimulation. This design is similar to reinforcement learning, making people inclined to keep scrolling and forming habitual use. This high-frequency stimulation not only weakens users' tolerance for long-term tasks but may also weaken the function of brain regions responsible for control and focus, such as the prefrontal cortex. Research further indicates that this dual effect of "habituation + sensitization" reduces the brain's tolerance for activities that require effort and delayed feedback.

Mental health is in danger: Anxiety and stress are the most affected.

Among 61 studies exploring the link between short videos and mental health, the overall results showed a mild to moderate negative association (r = -0.21). In particular, anxiety (r = -0.33) and stress (r = -0.34) showed the most significant associations, while depressive symptoms and loneliness also showed a weak negative correlation.

Furthermore, if the time spent using short video platforms is concentrated before bedtime, it may disrupt melatonin secretion, affect sleep quality, and further weaken psychological adjustment ability.

The influence of self-esteem and body image remains unclear: content diversity may be key.

Surprisingly, short video use was not significantly associated with self-esteem or body image. Researchers speculate that this may be related to the increase in diverse and positive body image content on the platform, unlike past social media that emphasized appearance comparisons.

The study also points out that users' interaction types on the platform differ significantly from the content they view, and these variables may affect individual psychological responses. Future research should further differentiate between different content types (such as positive reinforcement vs. beauty anxiety) to clarify these inconsistent results.

Age is not the determining factor; both teenagers and adults are affected.

It is worth noting that the study found no significant moderating effect of age on the relationship between short video use and health. In other words, excessive use of short videos may have similar negative effects on both teenagers and adults.

This differs slightly from the common view that teenagers are more susceptible to the influence of social media, and it also shows that the "universal appeal" of short video platform design may have an effect across age groups.

Different usage methods affect health outcomes

The study further found that the measurement indicators of "short video addiction" had the strongest association with psychological and cognitive health , while studies that only used duration or frequency of use as assessment criteria showed relatively weaker associations. This suggests that addictive tendencies (such as loss of control and inability to stop using) are a better indicator of potential health risks than simply the duration of use.

Furthermore, "general users" (those who use multiple short video platforms simultaneously) showed a stronger negative association than users who only use TikTok, suggesting that cumulative use across multiple platforms may exacerbate their health effects.