Facebook’s Woes: Sometimes Taking A Step Forward Means Taking Two Steps Backward

Facebook and its sister companies have had a really difficult month. First, a whistleblower reported on 60 Minutes and later that week testified to the Senate about hate-baiting – perpetuating negative content to expand readership. Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—went down for much of the Monday following the 60 Minutes segment. While some suggest that the outages could be related to the bad press the day before, it remains to be seen. 
 
As the world becomes more reliant on technology, including Internet media and other operational platforms, it may be a good time to take a step back and consider putting more emphasis on traditional non-technology-based delivery and recovery processes. If not as a primary way of conducting operations, then certainly as a backup, should automation fail.
 
Diversification of business operations will be the name of the game for years to come. Figuring out and making sure operations can proceed manually as well as through automation must go hand-in-glove. Just consider the COVID-induced disruptions on supply chains during the past year and a half: the inability to get toilet paper, disinfectant, computer chips, adhesives, gasoline, cars, skilled workers, or millions of tons of imported items floating off of the US and other shores without docks and workers to unload those goods. You’ve probably experienced an outage or delay. Now compound this with hackings, regulatory interventions, climate-induced catastrophes, wars, other unrests and we can certainly see that business environments are unstable.
 
Have you identified your businesses’ areas of risk? Do you have a plan to address what to do during such a crisis? Facebook’s problems will eventually resolve themselves. Government oversight and keen risk management will lead the way. Other issues will arise. And as none of us can anticipate every future event, we should anticipate the impact of other crises and have processes and methodologies (technical and non-technical) in place that let us continue operations and growing businesses. 

Capsicum has years of experience helping our clients get the most from the technology investments. Our experts work with clients to help mitigate risk, upgrade security, improve technology processes and assure regulatory compliance. Whether it's cyber security, incident response, penetration testing, social engineering, tabletop exercises, code review, or disaster recovery and incident response management. Capsicum has the requisite knowledge and insight. Contact us today to learn how we can assist you.