Microsoft's latest outage disrupted GP surgeries, police forces, courts, schools and councils across Britain, leaving some workers reduced to pen and paper and even affecting emergency services.
The global systems failure has raised concerns about how much essential infrastructure now depends on a small number of multinational technology companies.
Widespread disruption to essential services
When a single technology company suffers a breakdown, Britain should not be left struggling to contact doctors, report crimes or keep vital public services running, yet Microsoft's outage did exactly that.
Systems failed around the world, catching out GP surgeries, police forces, courts, schools and councils. Even emergency services were affected.
Demands for stronger safeguards
Technology makes lives easier, but convenience is a poor excuse for allowing one company's failure to bring so much to a standstill.
Ministers must demand tougher safeguards, reliable backup systems and far greater accountability from firms whose software underpins daily life. Public services must be able to function when technology giants falter, because the next outage could have consequences far more serious than a missed email.
