Many websites, apps go dark as Amazon’s AWS reports global outage
News October 20, 2025

Many websites, apps go dark as Amazon’s AWS reports global outage

The outrage caused connectivity issues in platforms such as Amazon shopping site, Perplexity, Lyft, Fortnite, Snapchat and Clash Royale

**Amazon's AWS Outage Plunges Websites and Apps into Darkness**

A widespread outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud computing giant, brought a significant portion of the internet to its knees earlier today. The disruption caused connectivity issues for a vast array of websites and applications, leaving users frustrated and scrambling for answers.

The problems began in the early hours and quickly escalated, impacting services relied upon by millions worldwide. Among the most notable platforms affected were Amazon's own shopping site, the AI-powered search engine Perplexity, ride-sharing service Lyft, popular video game Fortnite, social media app Snapchat, and the mobile strategy game Clash Royale. Users reported a variety of issues, including inability to access websites, app crashes, and sluggish performance.

The exact cause of the outage remains under investigation, but AWS confirmed that they are experiencing widespread connectivity problems across multiple regions. The company is working to restore services as quickly as possible, though no definitive timeline for full recovery has been announced.

The ripple effect of the AWS outage highlights the critical role cloud computing plays in the modern internet. AWS provides the infrastructure that powers countless websites, apps, and online services. When such a major provider experiences a significant disruption, the impact can be felt across the entire digital landscape.

For users, the outage meant widespread inconvenience. Online shopping was disrupted, rides couldn't be ordered, and gaming sessions were abruptly cut short. The outage also served as a stark reminder of the internet's inherent fragility and the dependence on a relatively small number of large cloud providers.

The incident is expected to raise questions about redundancy and disaster recovery planning for businesses that rely on AWS and other cloud services. Experts suggest that companies should consider multi-cloud strategies, distributing their workloads across multiple providers to mitigate the risk of a single point of failure.

As of late afternoon, AWS engineers continue to work to resolve the issue and restore full functionality to the affected services. Users are advised to monitor the AWS status page for updates and to check the social media channels of affected companies for announcements regarding service restoration. The incident serves as a potent reminder of the interconnectedness of the digital world and the potential for widespread disruption when critical infrastructure falters.
Category: Technology