The Internet Died For 15 Hours - What Next?

A couple of weeks back, you might have noticed that a lot of your apps - from Snapchat to Canvas, suddenly stopped working. That's because Amazon Web Services (AWS) experienced a major 15-hour outage on October 20, 2025, shutting down the online operations of multiple companies including McDonald’s, Venmo and Roblox. We, consumers, were left unable to access these companies' platforms, and the companies lost a lot of revenue. Even smart home technology like smart beds malfunctioned due to the AWS outage. The outage affected 30% of what are known as "cloud-dependent businesses", which are essentially companies that run on the internet and digital devices. Think about every single thing you use on your phone, your computer or any other device - now about a third of that just shut down.

 The estimated total losses of the outage in which a domain name system (DNS) issue brought down the AWS database reached around $580 million dollars. These losses not only impacted companies associated with AWS, but also the global economy as a whole since a third of the internet was down. Consumer spending was seriously affected, and the cracks in the AWS system emerged. The outage had everyone asking: are we too dependent on Big Tech for the internet?

The answer: Maybe? Since the emergence of the internet, a lot of the world's digital ecosystem has been built on existing technology, leading to a complex series of businesses forming from a single foundation. The same flexible, interconnected technology would be the foundation for smart cars and Netflix, Cookie Run and major finance companies like Goldman Sachs. What this shows is that companies need to be ready to withstand any outage, especially when a 15 hour outage was reported to have lost Amazon $75 million per hour. It also shows something that we as consumers are seldom aware of - in an increasingly saturated digital market, many of the underlying players...might just be the same.

Want to make more conscious choices about digital spending? Start here:

Episode 2: How Do I Buy Responsibly?

Shopping is a part of daily life. Whether it’s grabbing a snack at school, buying new sneakers, or saving up for your first laptop, you’re constantly making choices about what to spend on. All of the stuff you own and use had to be bought at some point.

MomentumYashvi Raj