Imagine waking up one morning to find that the internet has gone down. For most of us, this thought may be unsettling but also a welcome surprise. However, for experts who work with the underlying infrastructure of the internet, the possibility is more alarming.
A glitch at a US datacentre recently highlighted the risks of relying on technology so heavily in our daily lives. Experts warn that a catastrophic failure of the internet could bring down major services like YouTube, Gmail, and even government systems.
The potential causes of such an event are varied. Extreme weather conditions, cyberattacks, or errors in critical infrastructure could all contribute to a massive disruption. However, experts caution that the most insidious threat may come from within – a fundamental error in the protocols that underpin the entire internet.
Imagine the scenario where a heatwave destroys major datacentres, causing networks to redirect traffic to backup systems. Alternatively, an unexpected AI-generated bug could overwhelm internal infrastructure, taking down popular services like Signal and Netflix.
While the thought of such a catastrophe is daunting, experts emphasize that at its most basic level, the internet remains functional. It’s just the user experience that would be severely impacted.
A single undersea cable break or attack on a DNS service provider could have significant consequences, but the likelihood of this happening is low. Instead, a widespread error in critical infrastructure could bring down major players like Amazon and Google, leaving users with few options.
In such a scenario, self-hosted blogs, decentralized social platforms, and niche domains would be some of the few remaining lifelines for those seeking to stay connected. However, it’s unclear if these systems could be restored or if the internet would be rebooted from scratch.
The reality is that our reliance on technology has created a complex system with many potential points of failure. While experts continue to work behind the scenes to ensure the stability and security of the internet, it’s essential for us all to acknowledge the risks and take steps to mitigate them.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/oct/26/internet-infrastructure-fragile-system-holding-modern-world-together