Yes, Reddit is down now. On Wednesday, millions of users found themselves unexpectedly disconnected from the platform as a major outage rendered the site inaccessible. As people rushed to other social media platforms to express their frustration and seek updates, Reddit’s outage became the center of attention. But what caused the problem, and what does the “Upstream connect error” message mean? Here’s a breakdown of the incident.
What Happened to Reddit?
Starting at approximately 3 PM ET, Reddit users across the United States began reporting issues accessing the platform. The outage impacted reddit.com on desktop and mobile web, native apps, comment processing, and spam filters. According to Down Detector, the problems were widespread, with reports pouring in from cities such as New York, San Francisco, Detroit, Tampa, and Seattle.
Users encountered an error message stating:
“Upstream connect error or disconnect/reset before headers. Reset reason: connection failure.”
This message left many wondering what was wrong with the platform’s infrastructure.
What Does “Upstream Connect Error” Mean?
The term “Upstream connect error” typically points to a failure in the connection between a server and a Content Delivery Network (CDN). CDNs are responsible for delivering website content quickly and efficiently to users around the world. When the CDN cannot communicate with the servers, it leads to such errors. This kind of failure could be caused by:
- Server Overload: A sudden surge in traffic might overwhelm the servers.
- Backbone Outage: A critical part of the internet infrastructure supporting Reddit’s operations could have been disrupted.
- Internal Misconfiguration: Sometimes, system updates or errors in configuration lead to connectivity issues.
How Did Reddit Respond?
Reddit acknowledged the issue on its status page and via its X (formerly Twitter) account. In response to user inquiries, Reddit posted:
“We’re working on it.”
By 5:21 PM ET, the platform seemed to be recovering, with key features such as the Popular subreddit returning online. However, sporadic outages and slow loading times persisted, leaving users unsure if the platform was fully restored.
Why Was the Outage Significant?
Reddit is more than just a social media site; it’s a hub for millions of active discussions, memes, and AMA sessions. The outage disrupted not only casual browsing but also communities that rely on the platform for niche interests and breaking news.
Additionally, competing platforms like Bluesky, which has gained popularity in recent weeks, also faced outages on the same day. While there’s no evidence connecting the two incidents, it highlights the vulnerabilities of online platforms under heavy usage.
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What Were Users Saying?
As expected, the internet was quick to react. Users took to other platforms like X and Bluesky to share memes, jokes, and complaints. Some saw the outage as an opportunity to poke fun at Reddit, while others expressed frustration over the downtime.
Interestingly, even platforms like Bluesky faced minor outages, potentially caused by the influx of new users frustrated by Reddit’s downtime. This further underscores the ripple effect of a major platform’s failure.
Most Relevant Facts About Reddit
- Overview:
- Founded in 2005, Reddit is a social media platform and news aggregator organized around thematic communities called subreddits.
- It is one of the most-visited websites globally, with over 2.2 billion visits in March 2024.
- User Base:
- Global user estimates for 2024 exceed 504 million.
- Around 61.2% of users are male, and the largest user demographic (44%) in the U.S. is aged 18-29.
- Activity:
- Reddit recorded 97.2 million daily active users (DAUs) in Q3 2024, with over half being logged-out users.
- In the second half of 2023, 4.42 billion pieces of content were created, including posts, comments, and private messages.
- Revenue and Financials:
- Reddit generated $804 million in revenue in 2023, a 20.6% increase from 2022.
- Advertising accounts for 98% of its revenue, with $788.8 million generated in 2023.
- Key Metrics:
- Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) worldwide was $3.58 in Q3 2024.
- The U.S. market contributes the majority of revenue, with $651 million in 2023.
- Traffic and Engagement:
- Reddit users spend approximately 1,089 seconds (about 18 minutes) per session.
- Mobile devices dominate traffic, surpassing desktop visits consistently since 2022.
- Content Moderation:
- As of 2023, spam was the primary reason for subreddit removals (456,849 cases).
- The platform also responded to 121 government content removal requests, with varying compliance rates.
- Popular Subreddits:
- The largest community, r/funny, has over 56.6 million subscribers as of February 2024.
- Other popular subreddits include r/AskReddit (45M subscribers) and r/gaming (39.5M).
- IPO Plans:
- Reddit is preparing for a public offering, targeting a valuation of $5 billion.
- Significant investments in sales and marketing were reported, totaling $230 million in 2023.
- Moderation and Workforce:
- Reddit employs 2,013 full-time staff and relies on 60,000 volunteer moderators for daily content management.
- Cultural Impact:
- Annual events like r/Place showcase Reddit’s engaged community, with over 10 million users participating in collaborative projects.
