What in the World No Snapchat?! Why the AWS outage was so big
Oct 22, 2025
Chris Vallance, a BBC technology reporter, unpacks the recent AWS outage that disrupted major apps like Snapchat, Fortnite, and Delta Airlines. He explains how a DNS issue caused widespread service failures, putting a spotlight on our heavy reliance on a few dominant tech firms. Chris discusses the risks of future outages, why startups flock to these services, and the geopolitical implications of this dependency. Listeners also hear how students were personally affected by the downtime, highlighting the vulnerability of our digital lives.
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One Provider Can Break Many Apps
- AWS powers about a third of the internet, so its failures cascade to many everyday apps and services.
- DNS problems at an AWS east coast facility caused widespread outages and lingering backlog effects.
Real People Felt The Disruption
- Users and recent graduates described how outages halted job applications and daily creative work like Canva designs.
- These personal stories highlighted real frustrations beyond just social media inconvenience.
Why Big US Clouds Dominate
- A few big US firms (Amazon, Microsoft, Google) hold the lion's share of cloud infrastructure, concentrating systemic risk.
- Their scale offers robust features and security that attract startups and small businesses despite geopolitical concerns.