If you follow the news, then you’re probably aware that there has been a mass IT outage from late Thursday night, July 18th 2024 that has negatively affected several industries and businesses, such as airlines, banks, retailers, and media outlets. Even some 911 emergency lines and medical services, such as the United Kingdom’s NHS, have been affected. This global mass IT outage has been linked to an issue with the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.
Some systems that were affected have been reported to be resolved now, such as the Belfast International Airport that had been writing flight details on whiteboards during their system outage. And even Microsoft has stated that their services are seeing continuous improvements. So, it appears the issue will eventually be resolved. But it got me thinking about technology and how this can be a lesson in technology dependance.
Is technology dependance bad?
Let’s be real here, technology is here to stay. It has simplified and advanced our lives in a way that cannot be denied and to completely do away with it is not something that can or should happen. That being said, this is a not-so-gentle reminder that dependance on any one system has its risks. Although technology is amazing and has its benefits for the human race as a whole, it also holds the key to general complacency on the part of people. We depend on it…a whole lot. From storing information to managing entire work systems, technology is a perfect little bridge connecting convenience and community. But what happens if that bridge begins to collapse? Something like this global mass IT outage, I suppose.
The point is, always remember to have a back-up plan. Technology is awesome, but it can also give you a harsh reminder of your extreme dependance on it if ever things go wrong with the systems in place. Hopefully, this is a lesson to the major players in the tech industry, as well as the industries whose systems heavily depend on technological resources, to have reliable back-up plans in place for instances such as these.
