Major Microsoft Outage Disrupts Bing, DuckDuckGo, and ChatGPT Services
A significant outage impacted Bing.com, Microsoft’s search engine, early Thursday, causing a ripple effect that took down several services reliant on its application programming interface (API). Among the affected services were DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, and ChatGPT, causing widespread disruptions for thousands of users.
Timeline and Impact
Reports indicate that the outage began around 2:00 AM Eastern Time. Users trying to access Bing.com were greeted with an error page featuring a panda and the message: “It’s not you, it’s us.” Similar issues were reported by DuckDuckGo, which displayed an error message indicating problems in loading search results.
Statements from Affected Services
DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine, issued a brief statement on X (formerly Twitter) at 9:21 AM GMT, acknowledging the issue and thanking users for their patience:
“We’re currently experiencing an issue with DuckDuckGo Search that might prevent you from getting results. Thanks for your patience while we get our ducks in a row…”
Microsoft also acknowledged the issue via their Microsoft365 Status account on X, stating they were investigating problems affecting the Microsoft Copilot service:
“We’re investigating an issue where users may be unable to access the Microsoft Copilot service. We’re working to isolate the cause of the issue.”
User Reports and Reactions
Downdetector.com, a platform that tracks service outages, reported a spike in outage reports for Bing.com just after 2:00 AM Eastern Time. Users attempting to access Bing and DuckDuckGo encountered either blank pages or HTTP 429 error codes. Additionally, while Bing.com eventually resumed loading search results, DuckDuckGo continued to experience issues displaying search results as of 7:30 AM.
Broader Implications
This outage highlights the extensive reliance on Microsoft’s Bing API by various services. While Google remains the dominant force in web searching, Bing’s API serves numerous high-profile clients, including DuckDuckGo and Ecosia. These services utilize Bing’s search capabilities to provide search results, making them vulnerable when Bing’s systems encounter issues.
Business Context
DuckDuckGo, although significantly smaller than Google, handles 2.5 percent of US search queries and generates approximately $100 million in annual revenue. The company’s dependence on Microsoft’s Bing for search results underscores the interconnected nature of web services and the potential widespread impact of outages.
Ongoing Investigation
Microsoft has stated that they are actively working to isolate the cause of the issue. As the investigation continues, users and services dependent on Bing’s API are experiencing varying levels of disruption. This incident serves as a reminder of the centralized nature of many web services and the cascading effects that can occur when a major provider experiences technical difficulties.
This story is still developing, and updates will follow as more information becomes available.
Zeeshan Ali Shah is a professional blog writer at AliTech Solutions, renowned for crafting engaging and informative content. He holds a degree from the University of Sindh, where he honed his expertise in technology. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for staying up-to-date on the latest tech trends, Zeeshan’s writing provides valuable insights to his readers. His expertise in the tech industry makes him a sought-after writer, and his work at AliTech Solutions has earned him a reputation as a trusted and knowledgeable voice in the field.
