Today, we thought we would take a few minutes to review the goings on in the social media and messaging space. Consolidating Facebook  Back in December, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit in federal court against Facebook, claiming that the social media giant has been engaged in anticompetitive conduct and violated antitrust laws. The attorneys general of 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam all cooperated with the FTC in an investigation that states Facebook has been engaged in unethical business by acquiring and running would-be competitor apps WhatsApp and Instagram. Facebook?s actions are being scrutinized as they begin to consolidate the management of data throughout their family of apps.  Facebook is also accused of restricting third-party software developers from accessing Facebook?s development platform unless they signed legal agreements to only create applications that don?t directly compete with Facebook?s properties.  Smaller Messaging Apps Thrive With WhatsApp?s recent announcement that all data sent and received on the application will effectively be considered a part of that person?s Facebook profile, a lot of users are looking to change to emerging messaging applications to avoid the security and privacy concerns. Two options include Signal and Telegram. These two options have seen massive growth. Signal has gained 7.5 million new users in a week?s time, while Telegram became the most downloaded app in the United States, adding 9 million new users. With WhatsApp now requiring users to share phone numbers, locations, and contacts? phone numbers with Facebook and its subsidiaries, there is concern about user?s privacy. Facebook has stated that the new privacy policies do not affect messages shared between family or friends, only those messages sent to a business. That fact is largely lost on people who seem to finally be getting a handle on how important their data privacy really is.  What do you think? Do you agree with Facebook?s move to consolidate their data collection, or do you think that data privacy is too important for such a powerful company to make these drastic moves? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Our Status With over 25 million doses of vaccine administered around the world (as of this writing), it seems to be an appropriate time to look ahead to what the average work environment will likely look like once the virus has lost its teeth and we can safely return to some semblance of normalcy. It would be dishonest to say that work and employment remained unaffected by the pandemic, especially considering how many industries had to shut down or greatly restrict their operations to help preserve the health of the public. Of course, other industries simultaneously became more important than they ever were before, their workers being given the title ?essential.? These shifts ultimately resulted in a dip in the employment rate that, as compared to the economic recessions we?ve had in the past, was three times as severe. Today?s technology has since enabled quite a few of these jobs to be replaced by automated alternatives or picked back up via remote solutions. These remote capabilities and their ongoing improvements are responsible for sustaining many businesses, as well as encouraging people to apply to start their own, online businesses for themselves. Of course, most people hope that things will at some point return to what was once known as normal. It must be said, though, that to simply drop all the advancements that businesses have since adopted to survive isn?t a good outcome, either. Considering this, we can make a few predictions as to how normal business operations may undergo a fundamental change with many. What Will Become of Remote Work? Putting it simply, we fully expect a greater utilization of remote work and operations, with the proportion of companies that put it to use rising. We see this as likely for a few reasons: Those businesses that elected not to take advantage of remote capabilities will have largely closed, unable to maintain their operations enough to support themselves. Increased demand for remote tools and technologies has led to more being developed. More businesses will likely see remote work as a viable component of their business strategies and cost optimization. It must be said, however, that all this will require some commitment to the technology, both in terms of practically implementing it and in inspiring a workforce to take advantage of it. Adapting your workplace culture and processes to incorporate these new capabilities will help with training your team to utilize them more securely and more consistently. As a result, your business? success becomes more likely. With remote functionality a clear and essential need for today?s businesses, it would be irresponsible to carry on as though the past year had never happened. White Mountain IT Services can help you avoid that by assisting you in adopting the right technologies and incorporating them into your processes. Find out how else we can assist you by calling (603) 889-0800.

Want to check out Google Docs? It?s free for anyone with a Google account, although if you are going to use it for your business, you should talk to us about Google Workspace.  You can log in at docs.google.com to see how the free version works. Version History Undoubtedly, one of Google Docs? most useful features must be its referenceable version history. Think about it?you could go back and review how people have edited the document and the rate that progress has been made. This not only enables a higher level of accountability in your work, but it also makes it clear who made certain changes and when these changes were made. As a result, it is far clearer to everyone involved who has contributed their share, and how the status of the team?s efforts currently stands. Accessing this area is as simple as clicking File>Version history>See version history and choosing from the list of dates and times provided. If you want to restore a file from one of these past versions, it is as simple as clicking the Restore this version button at the top of the screen in the review section when one of the past modifications are selected. Interacting with a Document Due to the collaborative nature of Google Docs, the likelihood is high that your documents are frequently shared throughout your organization and amongst your clients. Of course, not everyone who has their hands on these documents necessarily needs the capability to make changes?or even leave feedback at all. Google Docs enables you to share these documents while also dictating the amount of access that your recipients have?as well as to limit your own capabilities as well, to help you effectively accomplish specific tasks. This can be done by altering how the document is presented, which comes in three modes: Editing, Suggesting, and Viewing. Predictably, Editing mode enables a user to make changes. However, with the document set to Suggesting mode, the user can only (as the name would suggest) suggest changes to be made. Likewise, Viewing mode only allows a user to view the document?pretty handy, especially when you?re looking for feedback over collaboration. Mobile Capabilities Google Docs also comes as a very capable (if limited by the platform) mobile application, enabling your team to potentially make quick reviews and edits while on the move. While we wouldn?t recommend anyone write their next novel from scratch using this method, it can prove handy in a pinch. As you would expect, any changes you make there are reflected to any collaborators you are working with. Obviously, Google Docs offers many more capabilities that we encourage you to discover for yourself. For assistance in implementing it for your organization, or more information about the other options available to you, give us a call at (603) 889-0800 today.

Data loss is a negative situation, regardless of the importance of the files. This is precisely why White Mountain IT Services offers comprehensive data backup and disaster recovery solutions. Backing up your data allows you to sidestep the potential catastrophes that would come with the loss of your most critical information. Here, we?ll review a few situations that could put this data at risk to demonstrate how crucial having a backup really is. Actual Disaster Event Just about every business on Earth could potentially be impacted by some kind of weather event. Some deal with hurricanes, some deal with high winds and tornadoes, others with earthquakes and floods? you get the picture. Unfortunately, whichever one impacts your business, there isn?t very much you can do at the moment, which is why it is important to prepare now, so you can reopen again after the fact. Many don?t prepare, and therefore, don?t reopen. Acting proactively and maintaining a backup allows you to more quickly bounce back after a disaster has struck, allowing your business a second chance. Data Corruption or Theft Cybersecurity is a huge topic today, as there are many, many threats out there designed to target businesses. Take ransomware, for example: all it takes for you to lose access to your files is for an employee to click on the wrong thing. Not good. Using a BDR (in conjunction with a comprehensive business continuity plan) to keep your files safely backed up enables you to quickly restore data from an onsite backup copy of your data, while keeping another copy offsite for redundant protections and simplified migrations. This keeps you safe from a variety of threats, including ransomware and many other forms of malware.  User Error The BDR is supremely useful in that it gives you an on-demand resource to pull your data from, on demand, as it is needed. This is particularly handy if a team is collaborating on a project, and somebody accidentally deletes something absolutely critical to the project. With a backup, your progress won?t be lost to bad luck. A BDR allows you to breathe a little easier about your files and their security. To find out about adopting one for your business, reach out to White Mountain IT Services today. Call (603) 889-0800 to get started.

Getting Started with a Google Account If you have a Google account, you have access to Google Drive. Using your browser, or either the Android or iOS version of the application, you can log in to see your storage space. There, you?ll find the root menu, titled My Drive, with options to view items that have been shared with you (under Shared with me) and all Recent documents, ones that have been Starred as important, and those that have been sent to the Trash. You are also provided with an indicator bar that outlines the amount of available storage remaining. You can also find any files that Google has deemed to be of high Priority, as well as the folders that are shared within an organization in the Shared drives section?presuming that you?re using a business account. Above those options is the New button, providing the user with the ability to create new folders and files of different types, or upload files and folders into the space. These files can cover a wide variety of formats, from the core Google applications of Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms to many others. Sharing Documents You?ve Created There are a few different ways that a document in Google Drive can be shared with another user, whether that?s between sharing access to a folder wherein it is stored, or by sharing the document directly. Any document you?ve created can be shared from within it, through the Share button. From there, you can adjust editing permissions for those who you have shared it with and send it to them through a link, either by email or copy-and-pasting it as needed. Alternatively, right clicking the file in your Drive itself will present you with a few options, one of which being to share it. When you and your collaborators are inside the document, you will all be presented to the others involved. You can also share entire folders via a similar process. Restoring Older Versions Unfortunately, there is a lot that can go wrong with many hands on a document. To help resolve this shortcoming, Google Drive also saves a record of the document and any changes made to it for 30 days, or the past 100 revisions. From there, you can revert changes back to an older version if needed. To do so, access the file and, from the File menu, select Version History. You can then review the saved versions and restore the ones you need. Searching for Files and Folders Finally, similarly to Google?s original function, Drive also has a search bar that allows a user to Search in Drive, with the option to add more specific criteria. Consider Google Drive an Effective Business Solution Depending on your circumstance, Google Drive may or may not be the right solutions\\ for your needs. For more information, or to discuss your options, reach out to White Mountain IT Services at (603) 889-0800