Heartbleed, from a black perspective, is just as disastrous. If you have not heard about Heartbleed then my job is to highlight these type of events for black people and show my brothers and sisters what is happening in the cyber world. I’m not going to get technical on you here. The Heartbleed bug does not need a lot of explanation. Its really very simple to understand; websites using a program to protect, or encrypt, your information and communications with that website is not working properly. It hasn’t been working properly for two years. So anyone with enough technical knowledge can now see what’s on servers and computers you do business with. It’s that simple. It’s like finding you had a leaking water pipe under your house for the last two years and now you have to fix the foundation. That’s what happening on the Internet right now. Less tech, more knowledge here.
Black people do more banking online and mobile banking using wireless devices than other groups. So when I tell you that someone might get into your bank and steal your user name and password then you better pay attention. I’m talking about your money! And you know we don’t play when it comes to money. Is that simple enough for you?
Now how many black people use Yahoo! email? Gmail? What about Facebook? See this thing is bigger than you realize. Two thirds of the servers and computers used on the Internet have this flaw. Now you see why I’m here sounding the alarm. That’s literally millions of websites wide open for attack which means if you use these sites you are wide open too. Do you have an Android phone like a Samsung or HTC? You’re vulnerable too.
Call it nosy but since I’m black I have some questions that I want answered. For example, I bank online and I use Yahoo! and Gmail email. And I shop online as well. But not one place where I shop or use my credit cards has sent me a single email saying what they are doing to fix the situation. You would think there would be some effort to comfort customers and re-assure them that everything is being done to secure their information. Nothing!
Everywhere I go on the Internet and everything I read about the Heartbleed bug tells me to change user names and passwords. But my question is why? How do I know if my bank or the place I buy shoes online has fixed their problems? I have read that is the situation in some cases. People are changing their passwords and the site is still broken. No one, not a single website has said anything. No notifications have come my way! I would think this is basic customer service. They should just send out an email saying they are working on the problem and will have it fixed soon. As a black man and Internet user that’s what I want to know. Otherwise how am I supposed to know whats happening. How do I know whats happening behind the scenes at my bank? I’m black and you have to tell me whats going or I get…black!
This really is not a black issue. But we have our opinion about it. Its an Internet issue and most of all a customer service issue. We expect a lot for our money. I think everyone does. But for black people I think I speak for us all when I say ; Don’t ignore me. If there is a problem let me know…now.
The Internet is a color blind technology. When something goes wrong it impacts everyone online. Black people included. Now you know.