TLDR;
- A Google Cloud outage on June 12 disrupted popular apps like Spotify, Discord, and Snapchat for several hours.
- Google’s productivity tools also went down, affecting businesses and workers globally.
- Cloudflare and other infrastructure platforms were briefly affected but remained largely operational.
- Services have since been restored, but the incident revealed the vulnerabilities of digital dependency.
A sudden failure in Google Cloud’s infrastructure sent a ripple effect across the internet on Thursday, disrupting numerous services used daily by millions.
The widespread outage exposed how deeply intertwined modern digital life is with cloud platforms, leaving users without access to essential apps and services for hours.
A Midday Disruption with Global Impact
The outage began shortly before noon Pacific Time when Google Cloud services began experiencing technical difficulties. Within minutes, reports started to surface about disruptions affecting Spotify, Discord, Snapchat, Character.AI, and even development tools like Replit and Cursor. Many users were locked out of their digital lives just as the workday was peaking in parts of the world, including East Africa, Europe, and the United States.
Google acknowledged the issue shortly after it began and confirmed its teams were working on restoring service. By late afternoon, the company had started applying technical fixes.
We are aware of a service disruption to some Google Cloud services and we are working hard to get you back up and running ASAP.
Please view our status dashboard for the latest updates: https://t.co/sT6UxoRK4R
— Google Cloud (@googlecloud) June 12, 2025
However, the incident highlighted just how many third-party platforms rely on Google Cloud to operate. It was not just entertainment that ground to a halt key productivity tools like Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Meet were also severely affected.
Cloudflare and Other Platforms Respond
While Cloudflare, another backbone of internet infrastructure, also experienced issues, the company was quick to point out that only a portion of its services were impacted. Cloudflare clarified that some of its features rely on Google Cloud, and those were briefly affected. However, the core functionality of its network remained intact.
Other major cloud providers like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure reported no disruptions, which helped some businesses maintain operations. Still, many companies and users had no viable backup, emphasizing how central Google Cloud has become in powering everyday digital experiences.
Users Affected Worldwide
Small businesses, university students, and remote workers alike around the globe found themselves cut off from essential tools. For entrepreneurs relying on Shopify or Google Workspace to communicate with clients or manage orders, the disruption led to costly delays. Students preparing for final exams lost access to critical online research materials. Social media platforms were filled with complaints from users unable to log in or send messages.
The situation served as a stark reminder of how cloud-based infrastructure, while efficient and scalable, also creates single points of failure that can bring down countless services in a single stroke.
Back Online, But Lessons Remain
Services began coming back online later in the evening, with full recovery confirmed by early Friday morning. Google Cloud teams worked throughout the night to ensure all systems were stable. Despite the relatively short downtime, the episode has reignited conversations around the need for redundancy, contingency planning, and digital resilience.
That said for many users and businesses, the outage was more than an inconvenience. It underscored a critical vulnerability in our increasingly connected digital economy. As cloud adoption continues to grow in Kenya and beyond, so too must awareness of these risks. The question going forward is whether enough lessons will be learned to prevent a similar collapse in the future.
