Lockdown and The Internet Life
The days roll by and it is only a matter of time before another lockdown is due to take place. Depending on where you are, there might be a panic buy and working from home arrangements being put into place. While technology is changing the way governments deal with the virus, the internet is also changing the way a lockdown at home is being waited out. Digital is all around, and it means we can share work, attend meetings and sit through examinations all in the comfort of our homes. There are caveats to this of course but home living and connectivity is making the home-bound lifestyle a little more manageable for many in the coming months.
Today saw both Heroku have widespread issues, Discord momentarily tipping over and even Xbox Live going down the other day, online entertainment and ultimately, internet access is a great asset to have a round. For those in need, reaching out online via social media has been instrumental, and their voices have not gone unnoticed around the world. Undoubtedly, it’s a hard time for all and realisation of the situation continues to set in the minds of many. Some companies are seizing this opportunity to support their customers and community through free services. Pornhub has unlocked its premium content for those on lockdown, hopefully no VPN abuse occurs…
Home workout app Peloton is offering a three-month subscription for free; many other streaming services are following suit. Regardless of business motive, it’s a great time for such offers to be made available to a population that may be indoors for the near foreseeable future. Giving back in a time of need is great to see and I hope more companies will pledge to give more in these difficult times. France have followed with Canal Plus offering its services for free all over until the epidemic is over. I’ve yet to see my Netflix subscription follow a similar gratuity but a show of good faith elsewhere is fine by me. I’ll be looking at a little more philanthropy in the days to come.
With new movies being released in theatres in the next few weeks including The New Mutants, 007 – No Time to Die and Black Widow, the box office will also be feeling the effects of this pandemic. I have to wonder if postponement or online release is on the cards. Going to the theatre (if still open where you are) is a risk and I expect to see even the most anticipated films produce dismal figures.
Wherever you are in the world, stay safe and keep fighting.
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/canal-plus-coronavirus-1203535605/
https://twitter.com/Pornhub/status/1238130377727901696
https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/16/peloton-stock-spikes-as-the-at-home-fitness-company-finds-potential-customers-stuck-at-home/
