Tag Archives: Workplace

Did Kamala Harris lie about working at McDonald’s?!

Did Kamala Harris lie about working at McDonald’s during college?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2024-10-21 : Updated with new details from McDonald’s, and a friend of Kamala Harris
Originally posted @ 2024-08-31

 

Claim : Kamala Harris did not work at McDonald’s!

Some people are claiming or suggesting that Kamala Harris may have lied about working at McDonald’s during college. Here are some examples / excerpts:

Ryan Fournier : BREAKING: McDonald’s Corporate sources have come forth and said they have no record of Kamala Harris working at any of their locations.

Who lies about working at a McDonalds?! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

The Washington Free Beacon : ‘I Did Fries’: Kamala Harris Claims She Worked at McDonald’s, but She Never Mentioned It Until She Ran for President. Did She Really Toil Beneath the Golden Arches?

Harris’s résumé a year after she graduated college makes no mention of McDonald’s

Recommended : Is Kamala Harris disqualified due to mother’s immigration fraud?!

 

Verdict : Kamala Harris likely worked at McDonald’s

This appears to be an example of fake news about Kamala Harris, and here are the reasons why…

Kamala Harris often spoke about working at McDonald’s

Let me start by pointing out that Kamala Harris has often spoken about working as a cashier, fry-maker, and ice-cream server at McDonald’s in Alameda, California during her summer off while studying at Howard University.

It was a short stint – she only worked at McDonald’s during the summer of 1983, but it appeared to be a memorable experience for her. In 2019, Harris would join a picket line of McDonald’s workers who were striking for a $15 minimum wage.

At that time, she said that while she “did the french fries and the ice cream” at the Golden Arches that summer, “there was not a family relying on me to pay the rent, put food on the table, and keep the bills paid by the end of the month” like those McDonald’s workers.

Months before she ran for President, Kamala Harris spoke about working at McDonald’s on The Drew Barrymore Show – “I did fries, and then I did the cashier“.

Kamala Harris worked at many small jobs when she was younger, and may be leaning heavily on that summer job at McDonald’s during the 2024 Election, because it’s more relatable to working class and middle class voters.

In contrast, her rival – former President Donald Trump, is famous for his love of eating (not working) at McDonald’s, and is not known to have ever worked at any minimum wage job in his life.

McDonald’s would not have franchisee’s employee records

Back in 1982, there were two McDonald’s locations in Alameda, California – at 1346 Park Street, and at 2031 Webster Street. It is not known where Kamala Harris worked that summer.

However, it is more than likely that both McDonald’s restaurants were owned and operated by franchisees, as McDonald’s was expanding rapidly through franchising in the early 1980s. Even today, some 82% of McDonald’s restaurants are owned by franchisees, and not owned by McDonald’s Corporation.

McDonald’s franchisees handle their own employees, and McDonald’s corporate would not have those employee records. So even if someone at McDonald’s Corporation took the effort to look into employee records, they would not be able to see employee records handled by franchisees.

I should also point out that Kamala Harris worked at McDonald’s in the summer of 1983 – 41 years ago. It is highly unlikely that McDonald’s Corporation or even the franchisee would still have employee records going that far back!

Recommended : Did California DNC delegates refuse to vote for Kamala Harris?!

McDonald’s do not have all job records for the early ’80s

While Ryan Fournier claimed in August 2024 that McDonald’s corporate sources have come forth to say that “they have no record of Kamala Harris working at any of their locations“, he provided no evidence.

At that time, McDonald’s itself never commented on Kamala Harris’ summer job, much less said that it has “no record of Kamala Harris” ever working at any of its locations.

On 20 October 2024, McDonald’s USA issued an internal statement on former President Donald Trump’s photo op at a Feasterville McDonald’s outlet, in which it clarified that it no longer has records for all jobs dating back to the 1980s.

Though we are not a political brand, we’ve been proud to hear former President Trump’s love for McDonald’s and Vice President Harris’s fond memories working under the Arches. While we and our franchisees don’t have records for all positions dating back to the early ’80s, what makes “1 in 8” so powerful is the shared experience so many Americans have had.

While some people claim that this is “evidence” that Kamala Harris did not work at McDonald’s, that’s not true. It only confirmed my earlier point – it is highly unlikely for any corporation or franchisee to still have job records going back 40+ years!

McDonald’s also took pain to refer to “1 in 8” – that 1-in-8 Americans have worked at McDonald’s at some point in their lifetime. In other words – it is plausible Kamala Harris worked a summer job at McDonald’s like many other Americans.

An old friend recalled Kamala Harris working at McDonald’s

While the Harris campaign did not make any of her friends or family members available for interviews about her work experience at McDonald’s, The New York Times independently confirmed that summer stint at the Golden Arches (archive) with a friend of Kamala Harris from her teenage years.

Wanda Kagan, a close friend of Ms. Harris’s when they attended high school together in Montreal, said she recalled Ms. Harris having worked at McDonald’s around that time.

Answering questions by email, Ms. Kagan said that Ms. Harris’s mother, who died in 2009, had told Ms. Kagan about the summer job years ago. Ms. Kagan said she herself had also worked at one of the fast-food chain’s many franchises in those years.

“That’s what us regular folks did,” Ms. Kagan wrote. Still, she indicated that it had not been a frequent topic of conversation for Ms. Harris. “We didn’t talk much about our McDonald’s days back then,” she said.

And why should it be a frequent topic of conversation? It was a low-paying job that many young people in North America did on their summers off. It was not like she snag an internship with a Senator or a Supreme Court justice!

But there you have it – confirmation from at least one friend from that period that Kamala Harris did work a summer job at McDonald’s.

Recommended : Did Kamala Harris mock Christians for praising Jesus?!

Kamala Harris listed her most recent jobs

The Free Beacon pointed out that when Kamala Harris applied for the position of a law clerk in the Alameda County district attorney’s office in October 1987, she failed to mention her summer job at McDonald’s four years earlier.

If you look at the form below (archive), you can see that Kamala Harris filled the three available slots with her three most recent jobs:

  • working as a law clerk for Alexander, Miller & McGee from June to August 1987
  • working as an operator for Charles Schwab & Co from July to August 1986
  • working as a student assistant for the Federal Trade Commission from April to May 1986

While her other jobs were not listed, it seems more than likely that Kamala Harris would have other jobs to list before she would need to list her stint at McDonalds in the summer of 1983. In fact, her resume stated that she also worked as a U.S. Senate Intern for Senator Alan Cranston in the summer of 1984 – a year before her summer job at McDonald’s.

It also seems likely that Kamala Harris would have realised that a summer job frying potatoes and working the cash register at McDonald’s might not impress the Alameda County district attorney’s office, even though some people might feel otherwise.

Recommended : Did Harris-Walz campaign use fake AI crowd photos?!

This is just political fake news

Ultimately, this appears to be yet another example of political fake news surrounding the upcoming 2024 US Presidential election. Here are some other examples I fact checked recently:

As the 2024 US Presidential election draws close, you can expect more of such fake news to appear, so be wary and skeptical!

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Zoom reveals challenges + solutions for hybrid work in APAC!

Take a look at the latest survey by Zoom, which reveals both the challenges and the solutions for hybrid work in APAC!

 

Zoom reveals challenges + solutions for hybrid work in APAC!

On 22 August 2024, Zoom released a compelling new survey called “Navigating the Future of Work: Global Perspectives on Hybrid Models and Technology,” which revealed key insights into the hybrid work models in Asia Pacific.

Conducted in partnership with ReworkedINSIGHTS, a leading authority on employee experience and digital workplace trends, the survey highlights both the rising dominance of hybrid work models and the pressing challenge of maintaining employee engagement.

Hybrid Work Models: A Growing Trend

The survey, presented at Zoom’s EX Summit 2024, reveals that a significant shift is underway in workplace models across APAC. With 84% of organizations adopting flexible work arrangements, the hybrid model is particularly prevalent, embraced by 58% of companies, while 26% opt for a fully remote approach.

Productivity remains a critical focus for APAC leaders, with 87% prioritizing it when choosing their work models—higher than the 86% in North America and 81% in Western Europe. Notably, employees in APAC report greater productivity in hybrid settings, with 83% indicating they accomplish more work in hybrid or remote environments compared to traditional in-office settings. This trend underscores the importance of effective technology solutions in maintaining workforce connectivity and efficiency, regardless of physical location.

Recommended : Zoom Docs transforms collaboration + meeting efficiency with AI

Key Takeaways In Summary

  • Hybrid Work Models: 84% of APAC organizations are adopting flexible work arrangements, with hybrid models being the most common.
  • Employee Productivity: 83% of employees in APAC report higher productivity in hybrid settings.
  • Generative AI Adoption: APAC leads in AI tool usage, but challenges such as learning curves and job impact concerns persist.
  • Future Outlook: 77% of APAC leaders expect further changes to workplace models, underscoring the need for ongoing adaptation and feedback integration.

The Search for the Ideal Hybrid Model

Despite the preference for hybrid work, companies in APAC are still experimenting with various models to find the most effective fit. The most common configurations are scheduled hybrid (27%) and flextime hybrid (19%), with 13% of organizations using other role-, location-, or outcome-based hybrid models. Impressively, 97% of APAC leaders have increased workplace flexibility over the past two years.

However, hybrid models are not without their challenges. Around 60% of APAC leaders report a decline in employee engagement associated with hybrid arrangements. Ricky Kapur, Head of Asia Pacific at Zoom, notes, “Workplace flexibility is not only becoming increasingly commonplace in the APAC region, but more diverse in itself — ranging from flextime to location, role, and even rotation-based models. Leaders today are faced with a new challenge of finding the best-fit hybrid model while keeping up with the evolving expectations of a multi-generational workforce and the impact of rapidly advancing technologies like AI.”

Recommended : Avanade study: Familiarity reduces workplace fears of AI!

Generative AI: A Game-Changer for Hybrid Work

The survey highlights generative AI as a transformative tool for enhancing employee productivity and engagement. Despite its potential, many APAC organizations still need to fully leverage AI’s capabilities. The majority of employees (81%) believe their current remote work tools require improvement—an issue more pronounced in APAC compared to North America (79%) and Western Europe (65%).

Generative AI’s impact is already being felt, with APAC leading the adoption of AI-powered tools such as meeting transcripts and chatbots (53% and 59%, respectively). These tools have been beneficial, with 85% of APAC leaders acknowledging AI’s role in boosting workforce productivity. However, challenges remain: 70% of employees view generative AI as having a high learning curve, 63% feel uneasy about it, and 55% worry about its potential negative impact on their jobs.

Addressing Engagement Through Feedback

As hybrid work models become the norm, 77% of APAC leaders anticipate changes to their workplace models within the next two years, slightly higher than the global average of 75%. To thrive in this new landscape, organizations must remain responsive to employee feedback and adapt their technology strategies accordingly. This includes investing in scalable, adaptable AI tools that align with evolving business needs and employee expectations.

In conclusion, while hybrid work models are gaining traction, the challenge of maintaining high employee engagement remains. Organizations that prioritize technology adoption and actively seek employee feedback will be better positioned to succeed in the future of work. Embracing flexibility and leveraging AI effectively will be key to creating dynamic, engaging, and productive work environments.

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Avanade appoints Rodrigo Caserta as new CEO!

Avanade – a leading Microsoft solutions provider, has just appointed Rodrigo Caserta as its new CEO, replacing Pamela Maynard! Here is what you need to know…

 

Avanade appoints Rodrigo Caserta as new CEO!

On 16 August 2024, Avanade – a leading Microsoft solutions provider, has just appointed Rodrigo Caserta as its new CEO, with immediate effect.

Rodrigo Caserta (left in photo below), who was previously the Global Technology Business Group Lead at Avanade, succeeds Pamela Maynard (right in photo below), who will depart at the end of August to join Microsoft as Chief AI Transformation Officer for Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions (MCAPS).

Karthik Narain, Avanade Board Chair and Group Chief Executive at Accenture Technology, expressed enthusiasm for Caserta’s appointment: “Rodrigo’s extensive experience and leadership within Avanade make him the ideal choice for CEO. His deep understanding of our clients and commitment to our team will drive our growth and innovation. I extend my gratitude to Pam for her transformative leadership, which doubled our business and enhanced our focus on inclusion and diversity.

Recommended : Avanade study: Familiarity reduces workplace fears of AI!

Rodrigo Caserta’s Vision For Avanade

Rodrigo Caserta is a veteran of nearly a decade at Avanade, who has contributed significantly to Avanade’s success. Under his leadership as General Manager of Brazil and later as President of Growth Markets, Avanade experienced notable revenue and headcount growth in Asia Pacific and Latin America. Originally from Brazil, Caserta recently relocated from Singapore to the United States with his family.

Caserta shared his excitement about his new role: “It’s an honour to follow in Pam’s footsteps. She brought me into Avanade nearly a decade ago and the wisdom I’ve gained from her is invaluable. It’s a privilege to uphold her legacy as Avanade’s next CEO”

“In an era marked by complex challenges, fierce competition, and the imperative to capitalise on AI, our clients have consistently found a trusted partner in Avanade. I am excited and look forward to this opportunity to lead – guided by our deep expertise, bold ambitions and a spirit of collaboration.”

 

Pamela Maynard’s New Role At Microsoft

Pamela Maynard, who has been a pivotal figure in Avanade’s growth, will transition to Microsoft as Chief AI Transformation Officer for MCAPS – the Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions division.

Judson Althoff, Microsoft’s Chief Commercial Officer, welcomed Maynard to her new role: “We are excited to welcome Pamela to Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions as our first Chief AI Transformation Officer, where she will leverage Microsoft’s AI portfolio to drive our internal transformation and work directly with customers to accelerate theirs. For nearly a decade, Microsoft and Avanade have been at the forefront of AI innovation, with both Pam and Rodrigo playing a critical role in advancing our progress. I look forward to this new chapter, confident in their leadership and expertise, as we further strengthen the longstanding partnership between Microsoft and Avanade and pioneer new advancements in our industry.

Reflecting on her tenure, Maynard said, “After 16 remarkable years at Avanade, now is the right time to transition to new leadership and Rodrigo is the perfect choice for our next CEO. Reflecting on my five-year tenure as CEO, I am proud of what we’ve achieved as an organization.

We’ve solidified Avanade’s position as the preeminent leader in the Microsoft ecosystem – consistently earning recognition from industry analysts, market leaders, and Microsoft itself. And our workplace culture – celebrated by Newsweek, Glassdoor, and more – is a clear reflection of our deep commitment to inclusion, diversity, and wellbeing. As AI continues to transform the industry, I am excited to have the opportunity and grateful for the confidence Microsoft’s leadership has in me to lead critical work in my new role.

 

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Avanade study: Familiarity reduces workplace fears of AI!

Here is our summary of a new study by Avanade on how growing familiarity eases workplace fears about generative AI!

 

Avanade study: Familiarity reduces workplace fears of AI!

A recent study by Avanade highlights a significant shift in workplace attitudes towards generative AI, offering valuable insights into how organisations can encourage employees to embrace generative AI.

The Avanade report explored the experience of 700 global employees at Avanade who used Copilot for Microsoft 365 through a seven-week study. This study represents the largest pilot of Copilot for Microsoft 365 conducted during the Early Access Program.

The study investigated the impact of the generative AI tool on six human metrics in the workplace: communication, creativity, trust, work satisfaction, belongingness, and organisational citizenship behaviour. Overall findings revealed increased structured creativity, idea sharing and problem solving, but limited improvements to spontaneously generated or original thinking.

Recommended : Avanade Launches New Generative AI Services!

 

Key findings from Avanade study on workplace fears of AI

The Avanade study sheds light on how familiarity with generative AI is alleviating workplace fears, leading to greater acceptance and integration. Here are key findings from the Avanade study…

Communication

Initially, 72% of employees were apprehensive about how Copilot for Microsoft 365 would handle meeting transcriptions. By the end of the study, 45% of employees felt less cautious about their communications, reflecting a shift towards more open dialogue as familiarity with the tool grew.

Creativity and Innovation

Avanade observed a 2% increase in overall creativity and innovation, with the score rising to 82%. Acceptance of new working methods improved from 80% to 89%. However, there was a slight decrease in preference for tasks requiring original thinking.

Trust

The study found that 88% of employees felt Copilot for Microsoft 365 aligned with corporate values, while 65% believed it matched their personal values. Satisfaction with the tool’s assistance was at 75%, but concerns about transparency (78%) and accountability (65%) highlighted the need for clearer decision-making processes and governance.

Recommended : Avanade + Accenture : 19th Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year!

Work Satisfaction

After implementing Copilot for Microsoft 365, 85% of employees reported a strong sense of accomplishment, and 80% remained engaged with their tasks. This suggests that the tool integrated smoothly into daily workflows without diminishing job satisfaction.

Belongingness

Team cohesion levels remained stable, with 85% of employees feeling consistent support from colleagues. Nevertheless, there was a 2% decline in the sense of belonging and team collaboration, indicating potential areas for improvement.Its seamless integration into Zoom Workplace not only provides a unified platform for communication and collaboration, it also ensures that users can access all their tools and documents in one place, streamlining workflows and enhancing overall efficiency.

Organisational Citizenship Behaviour

The study showed an increase in technological adaptability to 86%, suggesting that Copilot for Microsoft 365 promotes technical skill development. Altruism and courtesy remained steady at 88%, indicating the tool did not negatively impact the collaborative and supportive culture of the organization.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Zoom Docs transforms collaboration + meeting efficiency with AI

Discover how Zoom Docs, the new AI-driven tool from Zoom, transforms team collaboration, document creation, and project planning for enhanced meeting effectiveness.

 

Zoom Docs transforms collaboration + meeting efficiency with AI

On August 5, 2024, Zoom officially launched Zoom Docs, a new AI-first solution designed to revolutionise the way teams collaborate and manage documents. As part of Zoom Workplace, this collaborative document solution with generative AI aims to enhance meeting effectiveness and streamline project planning.

Zoom Docs is our first Zoom Workplace product with generative AI built in from the ground up; it effortlessly transforms information from Zoom Meetings into actionable documents and knowledge bases, so teams can stay focused on meaningful work.

Zoom Docs is included at no additional cost with Zoom Workplace paid licenses, creating even more value for our customers. With AI Companion available every step of the way, Zoom Docs is purpose-built to empower people to ‘work happy’ and give them more time back in their day.

– Smita Hashim, chief product officer at Zoom

Recommended : Synology Computex 2024 Showcase + Interview!

Zoom Docs represents a significant advancement in collaborative technology, combining the power of AI with the versatility of Zoom Workplace. Here is how it offers businesses a cutting-edge solution for enhancing team collaboration and productivity.

AI-Driven Document Creation

Zoom Docs leverages advanced artificial intelligence to assist in creating documents quickly and accurately. ith features like content generation, automated editing suggestions, and optimized formatting, users can create and refine documents faster and more accurately. The AI assists in structuring content, suggesting improvements, and ensuring consistency, making document management simpler and more effective.

Enhanced Team Collaboration

Thanks to its AI Companion, teams can collaborate in real-time on documents, share feedback instantly, and track changes seamlessly. The integration of AI tools facilitates smoother collaboration by automating routine tasks, highlighting important changes, and ensuring that all team members are on the same page.

Recommended : Avanade + Accenture : 19th Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year!

Streamlined Project Planning

Zoom Docs supports comprehensive project planning by providing tools for task management, scheduling, and progress tracking. AI-driven insights help teams prioritize tasks, manage deadlines, and allocate resources efficiently. This streamlined approach to project planning ensures that teams can stay organized and focused on achieving their goals.

Benefits for Meeting Efficiency

Meeting productivity is enhanced by allowing participants to access and edit documents directly within the Zoom meeting platform. This integration reduces the need for switching between applications, saving time and improving focus during meetings.

Seamless Integration Into Zoom Workplace

Its seamless integration into Zoom Workplace not only provides a unified platform for communication and collaboration, it also ensures that users can access all their tools and documents in one place, streamlining workflows and enhancing overall efficiency.

Recommended : US Bans Kaspersky Software Over National Security Risk!

 

Zoom Docs with AI Companion Price + Availability

Zoom Docs is available beginning today for users of the Zoom Workplace app, version 6.1.6 or later, which can be downloaded from the Zoom website. It can also be accessed from the Docs web homepage or the Zoom Web App.

Zoom Docs with AI Companion is included with all paid Zoom Workplace plans*. Basic (free) users can create up to 10 shared docs and unlimited personal docs without AI Companion but can upgrade to Zoom Workplace Pro, Business, or Enterprise plans for access to AI Companion capabilities across Zoom Workplace, including Docs. Account owners and admins may enable or disable AI Companion.

*Note: AI Companion is included at no additional cost with the paid services assigned to Zoom accounts. However, it may not be available for all regions and industry verticals.

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Facebook, Instagram, Messenger + Workplace Down Again!

Just days after going down for SIX HOURS, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Workplace went down AGAIN!

Find out what happened!

 

Facebook, Instagram, Messenger + Workplace Down Again!

Just days after all of Facebook’s services went down for six hours, Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Workplace went down AGAIN!

At around 3:22 AM on 9 October 2021, they went down again… with people reporting that they were unable to log into their accounts, or send messages.

Fortunately, this time it didn’t take down WhatsApp and it took their engineering team just under 2 hours to get those Facebook services restored.

 

Why Did Facebook, Instagram, Messenger + Workplace Go Down Again!

Again, Facebook blamed another faulty “configuration change” for this downtime, but did not announce any details on what actually happened.

But coming right after an extraordinarily long downtime just days earlier and public testimony by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, this new downtime may be shorter but is no less grievous.

It will feed growing opinion that Facebook has too much services under its control, and it’s dangerous and even folly to let a single company control so many social networks and communication services.

Regulators will no doubt be spurred by this new incident to look at breaking up Facebook.

EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said that the major Facebook outage highlighted the danger of relying on just a few big players, underscoring “the need for more rivals”.

Even Russia jumped into the fray, stating that Russia was right to develop its own Internet platforms and social networks.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that the recent 6-hour outage of Facebook services “answers the question of whether we need our own social networks and Internet platforms“.

We will be looking forward to Facebook Engineering’s explanation of what happened, and whether it involved cutting through doors to get to their servers…

Read more : Why Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram Went Down!

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Why Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram Went Down!

Facebook and ALL of its messaging and social media platforms went down for about six hours, including Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram!

Find out why they all went down at the same time, and for so long!

 

Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram + More DOWN!

The entire slew of messaging and social media platforms owned by Facebook was inaccessible for about six hours, including :

  • Facebook
  • Facebook Messenger
  • WhatsApp
  • Instagram
  • Oculus
  • Workplace

The failure also extended to Facebook authentication, which you may be using to log into third-party apps and games, with Pokemon Go and Match Master gamers have reported problems logging in.

This left Twitter as the only major social media network still up and running, which is ironic since it became the only way for Facebook to reach out to the world…

This massive outage couldn’t come at a worse time for Facebook, whose stock slumped about 5.5% after former employee and whistleblower, Frances Haugen, leaked internal documents to the Wall Street Journal.

She also accused her former firm of repeatedly and knowingly allowing the proliferation of hate speech and misinformation for profit. Really tough times for Team Zuckerberg indeed…

Even Edward Snowden chimed in, saying that the world has become a healthier place for one shining day…

 

Why Did Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc. Go DOWN?

This massive, unprecedented GLOBAL outage appears to be caused by a DNS (Domain Name Server) failure.

The DNS service “translates” the plaintext link we use (www.facebook.com for example) into its actual numerical IP address (123.123.123.123 for example), allowing your app or browser to connect to the right server.

Without a working DNS service, no one is able to connect to any Facebook-owned service because the Internet no longer knows how to locate the right server.

CloudFlare senior vice-president Dane Knecht shared that the Facebook BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) routes have been “withdrawn from the Internet”, causing failure to connect through CloudFlare’s DNS service.

This was likely due to a configuration error on Facebook’s side, but coming one day after the story broke on Frances Haugen? It would be folly to rule out internal sabotage or a rush to remove some controversial features before she testified to the US Congress.

The conspiracy theory that it was a DDOS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) attack by Anonymous or some vigilante group is really farfetched. It would require an incredible amount of resources and coordination to not only bring down Facebook, but all the other services as well… at the same time!

Read more : Did 13 Year Old Sun Jisu Hack Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram?

Facebook’s Vice-President of Infrastructure, Santosh Janardhan, later confirmed that “configuration changes” on their “backbone routers” caused the 6-hour long failure.

Our engineering teams have learned that configuration changes on the backbone routers that coordinate network traffic between our data centers caused issues that interrupted this communication. This disruption to network traffic had a cascading effect on the way our data centers communicate, bringing our services to a halt.

He also asserted that it was a faulty configuration change, and no user data was compromised.

Our services are now back online and we’re actively working to fully return them to regular operations. We want to make clear at this time we believe the root cause of this outage was a faulty configuration change. We also have no evidence that user data was compromised as a result of this downtime.

While he blamed “the underlying cause” for impacting their ability. to “quickly diagnose and resolve the problem”, it is notable that it took Facebook engineering teams more than 6 hours to resolve a DNS failure.

It is now believed that the changes were made to Facebook’s Border Gateway Protocol, a mechanism that exchanges routing information to help figure out the fastest route for any request.

Apparently, the changes “withdrew” Facebook services from the DNS system, making it impossible for anyone to connect to them.

Even worse, Facebook ran their own systems through the same servers, so everything from engineering tool, messaging services and even security systems that controlled the key fob locks were no longer accessible.

So their engineering team had to rush to their data centres to manually reset the servers there.

Needless to say, this will be a big wake-up call for their engineering teams, and in the words of Russell Peters – “Somebody’s gonna get a hurt real bad!

It is also a big wake-up call for everyone using Facebook services. This massive outage is a reminder that we should NOT put all our eggs in one basket.

I believe it will at least temporarily spur the adoption of alternative messaging services like Telegram and Signal. Even Twitter should see a nice boost in Tweets and maybe new users.

Now, I’m not into conspiracy theories… but what are the odds of this failure happening just one day after Frances Haugen came out publicly against Facebook, and a day before she was set to testify before the US Congress?

Could these “configuration changes” be designed to remove some controversial features before Haugen’s testimony to the US Congress?

Could Facebook’s own engineering team have accidentally triggered the failure in their rush to remove those controversial features before she testified?

 

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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