Is this the world’s oldest tweet? Viral X post in Japanese shows impossible 1992 timestamp
It’s been 20 years since What Now Twitter. Considered to be the platform’s first tweet, it represents the genesis of a service that would grow into a global hub for communications, news, and public conversation.However, a recent post has gone viral as a surprising “contender”, showing the date September 2, 1992, leading to widespread discussion on how a tweet could predate the platform.This post was shared by Eiko Kano (@kano9x), a prominent Japanese comedian, singer and gaming personality. Known for his self-deprecating “Mr. Narcissist” persona, particularly on shows such as London Hearts, Kano has also made appearances on television, his YouTube channel “Eco! Go!” and has gained a wide following through his variety show appearances, which often focus on what fans describe as his “miracle” antics.He has also increased his presence in gaming and film, hosting special events at Tokyo Game Show 2022 and appearing in films including White Noise (2022).The tweet itself reads:“It’s been a long time since I came to Osaka (^^)v to work with Jaru Jaru-san (#^^#)”He was referring to Jaru-Jaru, a famous Japanese comedy duo formed in 2003, long after the date shown in the tweet. Known for his surreal and exuberant sketches, he appeared widely on Japanese television and toured internationally, including performances in England and France.
“Is this the world’s oldest tweet?”.
As soon as the post circulated, one user asked Grok directly:“Hey @grok sanIs it correct to say that the world’s oldest tweet is from Kano Ikou? If there is anything older than this, let me know.”Grok replied:“No, it’s just an X display glitch showing the date September 2, 1992. HahahaThe actual oldest tweet is Jack Dorsey’s “Just setting up my Twitter” (ID: March 20, 21, 2006). There is nothing older than that!”It went even further in explaining the bug:“This is a display bug in the legacy timestamp handling of Seconds interpreted as 1970-01-01, which is equal to September 2, 1992. Classic integer overflow!Asked whether the problem would be resolved, Grok said:“I’m not part of
what’s really going on
Along with viral spread, users began sharing more detailed descriptions of the issue. According to that clarification, the tweet was originally posted on 11 December 2011 at approximately 10:02:50 JST, which can still be verified using the search query:“From:kano9x To:2011-12-11_10:02:50_JST To:2011-12-11_10:02:51_JST”The explanation continues:The unix timestamp in milliseconds was “1323565370000”This value was treated as a 32-bit unsigned integerIt flowed:1323565370000 mod 2^32 = 715442832That remainder, interpreted as seconds since 1970, becomes:2 September 1992, 23:07:12 (JST)Regardless of the technical explanation, the unusual date has given rise to a wave of more intriguing explanations. So-called “time travel” theories have circulated as a response, with some users suggesting that the tweet had traveled back in time or pointing to broader platform quirks, such as media wipes dating back to 2014, with some even claiming it is the Mandela Effect or Elon messing with the timeline.
long history behind it
The episode has also drawn renewed attention to the origins of the platform. Just three days ago it marked 20 years since the first tweet on X, formerly Twitter, which now sees some 330 million users post each month.Initially named “Twttr”, the project was inspired by Flickr and the five-character limit of American SMS codes. Twitter was founded in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams as a side project of the podcasting company Odeo. The idea originated during a brainstorming session about an SMS-based, real-time social networking platform that would allow users to share brief status updates with friends in real time.By March 2006, a working prototype of Twttr was operational. Several alternative names were considered, including the now infamous “Friendstalker”, but the team ultimately settled on Twitter. On March 21, 2006, Jack Dorsey, using the handle @jack, posted:“Just setting up my Twitter.”This message, Tweet ID 20, is the first ever message in the history of the platform, a modest beginning that later became a global phenomenon. The service initially imposed a 140-character limit, reflecting its SMS roots and forcing users to communicate in short, precise bursts.The platform was publicly launched in July 2006, allowing users to post updates and follow others. A more complete version of the stage was performed at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas in March 2007. Shortly thereafter, following a sudden increase in interest and investment, Twitter, Inc. was formally incorporated, which helped solidify its early development.Over the years, Twitter evolved rapidly. The character limit was eventually increased to 280, and the platform added a wide range of features, including trending topics, hashtags, replies, retweets, and media integration. It evolved from a simple status-sharing service into one of the most influential global platforms for news, public discourse and communication, used by celebrities, companies, journalists and ordinary users alike.
One tweet is worth lakhs
The very first tweet took his life. In 2021, Jack Dorsey sold an NFT version of it to crypto entrepreneur Sina Estavi for $2.9 million.“It’s not just a tweet!” Estavi wrote at the time. “I think years later people will realize the true value of this tweet, like the Mona Lisa painting.”The sale, conducted through Cent’s proprietary platform Valuables, included a digitally signed certificate and metadata, although the tweet itself remained publicly visible.Since then, the platform has undergone significant changes. Following its acquisition by Elon Musk, Twitter was rebranded as X and integrated into a broader ecosystem involving XAI and SpaceX. It continues to be influential, particularly among the tech and media communities, facing competition from new platforms such as Bluesky and MetaTrader Threads.Despite all the speculation, the 1992 viral post does not rewrite the history of the platform. As both user analysis and Grok’s responses make clear, the tweet is a product of 2011, just displayed differently due to the timestamp issue.