A recent observation shows that X, formerly known as Twitter, sometimes introduces a five-second delay when users try to open certain websites. The slowdown was noted by journalists at The Washington Post, among others, and has sparked discussion across the media landscape. The effect appears during transitions from X to other major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Reuters, The New York Times, Bluesky, and Substack. In contrast, many other sites load in about a second. Experts point to a likely culprit: the use of the t.co link shortening domain used by X to route traffic.
The central claim is that traffic is redirected through the t.co domain, which could give X visibility into where users go and potentially influence activity on the target sites. In some cases, this setup might enable X to throttle or limit access, and possibly impact traffic and advertising revenue for sites that are not favored by Musk. These assertions have been echoed in several industry discussions and reporting pieces, with analysts weighing the potential financial and operational implications for publishers and partners.
Yoel Roth, who previously led trust and safety at X, remarked that the delays seemed improbable even for a large platform. Yet he confirmed that the slowdown could be reproduced and observed. He described the experience as frustrating for users, noting that longer load times can erode trust and discourage engagement with sources that take longer to load than others.
Representatives for Elon Musk and X have not issued public comments on the matter. The topic has nonetheless raised questions about policy,技术 implementation, and the broader strategy for shaping user experience across X’s network of linked sites.
In related history, Musk had previously highlighted popular accounts on X and has carried forward a strong emphasis on platform control and growth in audience reach. The current discussions contribute to a broader debate about how social networks curate access to external content and how users assess reliability based on site performance.