# **Will Users Ever Forsake the Twitter Brand? X Outages Indicate the Answer is Negative**
## **Introduction**
Elon Musk’s transformation of Twitter to X has sparked significant debate in the corporate world lately. Despite his attempts to define X as a fresh identity, a considerable number of users still refer to the service as Twitter. Recent disruptions on X have stirred up conversations surrounding the platform’s identity, as many users persist in linking it to its previous name. This article delves into the effects of X’s outages, Musk’s allegations of cyberattacks, and the enduring challenge to eliminate the Twitter brand.
## **X Outages and Musk’s Cyberattack Assertions**
On Monday, X suffered extensive outages, with tens of thousands of users indicating problems accessing the platform. DownDetector reported that the outages were widespread, impacting users in the United States, Switzerland, and other areas.
Elon Musk later asserted that these outages were the result of a cyberattack supposedly originating from Ukraine. During an interview with Fox Business, Musk mentioned that “IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area” were to blame for the incident. However, he acknowledged that there was no solid proof to back this assertion, only suspicions.
Musk also hinted that the attack appeared to be highly coordinated, potentially involving a significant group or even an entire nation. Though he has criticized the Ukrainian government previously, he did not explicitly accuse them of planning the attack.
## **The Increase in DDoS Attacks**
Cybersecurity authorities have theorized that the X outage could have stemmed from a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack. Such attacks have surged in frequency in 2025, with a vast botnet—mainly based in the U.S.—carrying out unprecedented assaults.
X’s official support channel, inactive since August, has not released any official communications regarding the outage. Nevertheless, X’s AI chatbot, Grok, implied that the outage might have political underpinnings, as it was the sole platform affected.
## **Users Continue to Refer to It as Twitter**
In spite of Musk’s fervent rebranding initiatives, numerous users still label the platform as Twitter. During the outage, hashtags like #MyTwitter and #MyX gained traction on the platform, with “My Twitter” attracting notably greater interaction. Over a million users discussed “My Twitter,” while about 360,000 opted for “My X.”
This phenomenon emphasizes the hurdles Musk encounters in phasing out the Twitter brand. Even after almost two years, many users still tie the platform to its previous identity.
## **The Challenge of Eradicating the Twitter Brand**
Musk officially divulged Twitter’s rebranding to X in April 2023, announcing that Twitter had integrated with X Corp. However, the transition has proven to be anything but seamless. The Twitter name lingered on the platform for months, and it required over a year for Twitter.com URLs to redirect to X.com.
Brand analysts have denounced the rebrand, labeling it a misstep that adversely affected brand loyalty. Research indicates that Twitter’s brand value saw a considerable drop following the transition to X.
Users have also discussed whether they will ever fully adopt the X name. Many have continued to refer to the platform as Twitter in online dialogues, prompting Musk to insist that users acknowledge the rebrand.
## **User Migration and the Prospects of X**
Since Musk’s acquisition, X has undergone multiple waves of user exits. The latest wave occurred following the U.S. presidential election in November, as many users transitioned to the ad-free X competitor Bluesky.
Despite these obstacles, X continues to be a leading social media platform. Although some users have departed, many have remained, whether out of habit or due to lack of a suitable alternative.
## **Conclusion**
The recent outages on X have once again illuminated the platform’s identity dilemma. While Musk has endeavored to carve out X as a new brand, numerous users still perceive it as Twitter. The rebranding has met critique, and user engagement indicates that the Twitter name is far from fading into obscurity.
As X continues to grapple with technical issues and contend with new platforms, it remains to be determined if Musk’s aspirations for X will ultimately prevail—or if Twitter’s legacy will persistently loom over it.
