• Record platform usage spikes amid regional tensions

• X becomes a hub for open-source intelligence and real-time verification

Social media platform X saw its highest-ever activity over the weekend following the military operation against Iran on Saturday, February 28.

Elon Musk announced the milestone by sharing a post from the platform’s product manager, Nikita Bier, stating that “today was the biggest day in X’s history.”

The platform had previously set a usage record on July 15, 2024, with 417 billion global user-seconds, surpassing the previous U.S. record of 76 billion user-seconds. The current record’s official numbers have not yet been released.

Since Musk acquired X in 2022, the platform has gradually evolved into a primary resource for journalists, analysts, and politicians seeking open-source information on ongoing conflicts.

Building on its prior role as a key OSINT environment, X now functions as a live information ecosystem, rapidly aggregating satellite imagery, geolocated videos, and eyewitness reports, enabling both professional groups and independent analysts to track developments and verify claims in near real time.

Changes introduced under Musk—including algorithm improvements and community-driven fact-checking—have further accelerated the speed and reach of information circulation on the platform.