YouTube is shut down: Users see the 503 error message when they try to download videos or watch YouTube – live updates

YouTube, the second most visited website in the world, was down on its various platforms Tuesday night for more than an hour. Google's online broadcast site took to Twitter to thank users for "your reports on problems accessing YouTube, YouTube TV and YouTube Music".

CNET reports that users who tried to access videos or download content were greeted with an error message. The outage apparently began at 9 pm AND and the services seemed to have re-established after 22:30 ET.

YouTube said it was "working to fix this problem and that it will let you know when it is repaired." We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we will keep you informed. "

What does the 503 error mean?

• Although most users know 404 – page not found – error message 503 means "service unavailable". Typically, this message is displayed when the servers are overloaded and can not handle the amount of traffic trying to access it. A 503 error is usually associated with a temporary condition.

A "500 Internal Server Error" appears on some pages on Tuesday night, such as visiting individual YouTube accounts such as CBS News.