Lessons from Egypt: What Can Businesses Do If the Government Shuts Down the Internet?
Egypt’s popular revolt was actively fueled by social media, leading some in the media to call it the “World Web War I.” The Hosni Mubarak regime raised the stakes when it cut off internet and network access to the country’s 88 million citizens on January 27, 2011 before restoring it five days later.
Even though in the past other countries have blocked access to parts of the Internet, no one has ever cut off mobile networks and Internet links almost entirely. “We have never seen a country as connected as Egypt completely lose Internet connectivity for such an extended period,” said Craig Labovitz, chief scientist at Arbor Networks.
Clearly business continuity via satellite-based Internet connectivity and virtual private networks (VPN) could be an option. However, in a quest to cut costs businesses frequently overlook the necessity for such a facility.
To reduce the threats to business posed by a rogue government, companies should have a crisis strategy aimed at keeping business going and providing support to their infrastructure in case of a disruption. A company should decide what to outsource, and what to keep in-house, ensure key operational systems are backed up if they are outsourced, and try to keep good relations with the authorities whom they are dealing with.
A company should also analyze and prepare for known threats, decide on the crisis responsibilities for its employees, and have a network and protocols for communicating decisions. Undertaking crisis practice runs also helps a company be prepared for a real-life situation.
It remains to be seen, however, what impact curbing online freedom of speech will have on democracy.
See Lessons from Egypt: What Can Businesses Do If the Government Shuts Down the Internet? from Arabic Knowledge@Wharton
Tags: Egypt, Internet shutdown
