X’s viral post by Japanese comedian Ikuo Kano, written in Japanese, shows a timestamp of 1992
It’s been 20 years since Jack Dorsey, co-founder of what now became X, posted “I’m just setting up my Twitter,” his first message on what later became Twitter. As the platform’s first tweet, it represents the origin of a service that would grow into a global hub for communications, news and public conversation.But recently, a post went viral as a surprise “rival,” showing a date of September 2, 1992, sparking widespread debate about how a tweet could predate the platform itself.This post was shared by Eiko Kano (@kano9x), a prominent Japanese comedian, singer, and gaming personality. Known for his self-deprecating “Mr. Narcissistic” persona, particularly on shows such as “London Hearts”, Kano has built a wide following through television, his YouTube channel “EIKO! GO!”, and appearances on variety shows, which often center around what fans describe as his “miracle” antics.He has also expanded his presence in games and films, hosting special screenings at Tokyo Game Show 2022 and appearing in films including White Noise (2022).The same tweet stated:“I came to Osaka (^^)v I spent a period of time working with Garu Garu-san (#^^#)”
He was referring to Garo Garo, a well-known Japanese comedy duo that formed in 2003, long after the date on which the tweet appeared. Known for their exuberant surrealist paintings, they have appeared extensively on Japanese television and toured internationally, including performances in England and France.
“Is this the oldest tweet in the world?”
As the post went viral, one user directly asked Grok:“Hey @grok-sanIs it acceptable to say that the oldest tweet in the world is the one written by Kano Eko? If there is anything older than this, let me know. “Grok replied:“No, it’s just a glitch in the X display that shows the date as September 2, 1992.The oldest actual tweet is Jack Dorsey’s “I’m setting up my Twitter” tweet (ID: March 20, 21, 2006). There’s nothing older than that!”
He went further, explaining the error:“It is a display error in the handling of the old timestamp of 01-01-1970, equivalent to September 2, 1992. Classic integer overflow!When asked if the issue would be resolved, Grok added:“I’m not part of Company
What is actually happening
Along with going viral, users have begun sharing more detailed details of the issue. According to this interpretation, the tweet was originally posted on December 11, 2011, around 10:02:50 JST, something that can still be verified using search queries such as:“From: kano9x Since: 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 overflowed:1323565370000 mod 2^32 = 715442832This remainder, interpreted in seconds since 1970, becomes:September 2, 1992, 23:07:12 (Japan time)
Despite the artistic explanation, the unusual history has sparked a wave of more playful interpretations.
So-called “time travel” theories have been circulating as a sarcastic response, with some users suggesting the tweet went back in time or pointing to broader quirks in the platform, such as wiping out pre-2014 media, with some even claiming it’s the Mandela Effect or Elon tampering with timelines.
The longer history behind it
The episode also renewed interest in the platform’s origins. Just three days ago, it was 20 years since the first tweet on X, formerly Twitter, which now has nearly 330 million users posting each month.Initially named “Twttr,” the project was inspired by Flickr and the five-character limit for US SMS codes. Twitter was founded in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams as a side project within the audio streaming company Odeo. The idea originated during a brainstorming session about a real-time SMS-based social media platform that would allow users to share short status updates with friends in real time.By March 2006, the Twttr prototype was operational. Several alternative names were considered, including the now-infamous “FriendStalker,” but the team eventually settled on Twitter. On March 21, 2006, Jack Dorsey, using the name @jack, posted the following:“Just setting up my Twitter”
This message, Tweet ID 20, remains the first ever in the platform’s history, a humble beginning that would later develop into 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 launched publicly in July 2006, giving users the ability to post and follow others’ updates. A more complete version of the platform was shown in March 2007 at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. Shortly after, Twitter, Inc. was founded. Officially, after a sudden surge in interest and investment helped cement its early growth.
Over the years, Twitter has evolved rapidly. The character limit was eventually expanded to 280, and the platform added a wide range of features, including trending topics, hashtags, replies, retweets, and media integration.
It has evolved from a simple status-sharing service into one of the world’s most influential platforms for news, public discourse, and communications, used by celebrities, businesses, journalists, and everyday users alike.
A tweet worth millions
The first tweet has taken on a life of its own. In 2021, Jack Dorsey sold an NFT version of it for $2.9 million to cryptocurrency pioneer Sina Estavi.“This is not just a tweet!” Estavi wrote at the time. “I think in years people will realize the true value of this tweet, like the Mona Lisa.”
The sale, conducted via Cent’s Valuables platform, included a digitally signed certificate and metadata, even though the tweet itself remained visible to the public.Since then, the platform has undergone major changes. After its acquisition by Elon Musk, Twitter was rebranded as X and integrated into a broader ecosystem associated with xAI and SpaceX. It still has influence, especially among the tech and media communities, while facing competition from newer platforms like Bluesky and Meta’s Threads.Despite all the speculation, the widely-circulated 1992 post does not rewrite the platform’s history. As user analysis and Grok’s responses show, the tweet remains a product of 2011, and is only displayed differently because of the timestamp issue.
