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Amazon Cloud Outage Causes Major Disruptions for Snapchat, Robinhood, and More

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Published: Monday, October 20, 2025 at 12:21 pm

Amazon Cloud Outage Disrupts Major Online Services

A widespread outage affecting Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud computing division of Amazon, caused significant disruptions to numerous internet services worldwide on Monday. The outage, which impacted services used by millions, highlighted the increasing reliance on cloud infrastructure for essential online functions.

The disruption began with reports of increased error rates and latency issues for multiple AWS services, particularly within the US-EAST-1 region. The issue was first noted around 3:11 a.m. Eastern Time. AWS engineers quickly began working to resolve the problem.

The impact of the outage was felt across a wide range of online platforms. Users reported difficulties accessing popular services such as Snapchat, Roblox, Fortnite, and the Robinhood trading platform. Other affected services included the McDonald's app, Coinbase, and Signal.

By approximately 6 a.m. Eastern Time, AWS reported noticeable recovery across most affected services. The company confirmed that global services and functionalities dependent on the US-EAST-1 region were also recovering, with efforts ongoing for a full resolution.

The incident underscores the critical role that cloud computing plays in modern society. AWS provides remote computing resources to a vast array of entities, including government bodies, educational institutions, and major news organizations. As cybersecurity expert Patrick Burgess noted, the concentration of online infrastructure within a few major cloud providers means that any disruption can have a broad and significant impact on the online ecosystem.

BNN's Perspective: This outage serves as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of the digital world. While cloud computing offers numerous benefits, including scalability and cost-effectiveness, it also presents a concentration of risk. Companies and users alike should consider the potential impact of such disruptions and explore strategies for mitigating their effects, such as diversifying cloud providers or implementing robust backup systems.

Keywords: Amazon Web Services, AWS, cloud outage, internet disruption, Snapchat, Robinhood, Roblox, Fortnite, Coinbase, Signal, online services, US-EAST-1, cloud computing, outage, technology, cybersecurity

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