The world went Q-U-I-E-T when Facebook and Instagram blacked out for a number of hours on the 5th of March.
Without a pre-announcement, users found themselves disconnected from their virtual lives, unable to access their platforms. Many began thinking of the thousands of followers they have organically built there:
“All these, gone in one evening?”
Thankfully, Facebook and Instagram are back, and memes have started flying around about the blackout.
Afterthought
Permit me to dampen the humour a little by asking one question: What if you built your entire life there?
Social media has become more than just a means of communication for many; it’s a lifeline, a digital diary, and even a storefront for businesses.
The sheer joy of reaching millions with a single post and the convenience of managing everything from one app have seduced countless individuals around the world into entrusting their entire existence to the whims and mood swings of Silicon Valley giants.
Let’s take a moment to pause and reflect on the precariousness of that dependency.
We had a global outage today where every single person was signed out of their accounts for over an hour ±, and all we could do was hope that whatever was wrong would be fixed. Thankfully, it was ‘fixed’!!!!
But I doubt if we’ve gotten the BIG MESSAGE from this outrage: building your castle on someone else’s digital estate is a risky endeavor.
Sure, social media platforms offer unparalleled coverage and visibility; they also wield immense power over your online presence. (One technical glitch, one policy change, or one algorithm update, and poof! Your digital empire could crumble overnight. Or…overevening).
The Fat Risk: ‘A Nightmare Scenario’
You’ve put in so much work into building your business on Instagram, amassed a loyal following, and invested countless hours curating the perfect feed.
Then, out of the blue, the platform goes dark, leaving you stranded in a digital desert with no way to reach your audience or conduct business. It’s a nightmare scenario that many entrepreneurs experienced firsthand during the recent outage.
Sorry to say, but expect more with the days ahead.
Related Posts
- JUST IN: Facebook, Instagram Rebound from Global Outage
- How corporate leaders are redefining recruitment in virtual age
- For Marriageable Men: Are Female ‘Singles’ Really Single or…?
Now, don’t get me wrong;
Social media has revolutionized the way we connect, communicate, and conduct commerce. It’s an invaluable tool for building brand awareness, engaging with customers, and driving sales.
But let’s not delude ourselves;
It’s a double-edged sword. While it offers unparalleled opportunities, it also comes with significant risks.
Instead of placing all your eggs in the Zuckerberg basket, why not diversify your digital portfolio? Building a business that you own and control, both online and offline, is the ultimate safeguard against the whims of tech titans. Sure, it may require more effort and resources upfront, but the long-term payoff is worth it.
Imagine having your own website, your own email list, and your own e-commerce platform, free from the constraints and uncertainties of social media. You call the shots, you own the data, and most importantly, you’re not at the mercy of Mark Zuckerberg’s mood swings or Elon Musk’s X antics.
That temptation will come again: to go all-in on social media. Think twice. Don’t let the ‘bpop‘ and ‘tshhit‘ of likes, shares, and followers blind you to the inherent risks of digital dependence.
Build a business that you can truly call your own, one that stands the test of time and supercedes the dewy nature of social media.
Final Note
The great Facebook Outage (a Wikipedia page should be created for this). It serves as a wake-up call for anyone who’s placed their digital destiny in the hands of corporate behemoths.
It’s time to take control of your online presence, to chart your own course, and to build a business that’s truly yours.
When we lived in a rented house in Gombe, my father cut down on our allowance just so we could build our own house, even if it wasn’t as fancy as the rent house we lived in. He would always say, “One thing remains constant: owning is always better than renting.”
Welcome back, World.
