TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A seven hour social media shutdown served as both a blessing and a curse for neighbors in the big bend.
Self-proclaimed "Facebooker" Mike Goldstein owns Capital City Pedicabs.
"That affected us overall for the day. That's six hours you can't get back," Goldstein says.
He and other business owners rely on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram to connect with many, if not most, of their customers.
"Nine out of ten times, mostly for rides or tours and marketing and advertising, so yeah, we get a lot of social media requests just on the daily," said Goldstein.
Positive Vibes Only Apparel owner Darrick Edwards has daily social media needs as well.
"It was a little frustrating because I had some posts I was wondering why I couldn't post, some things I was trying to share that I do daily regarding the brand," Edwards said.
While most wouldn't be quick to give the interruption a thumbs up, Goldstein was able to find some personal solace in the shutdown.
"It's a double-edged sword because you need it for the business but you also [need] a little debrief for a little bit," explains Goldstein.
It's a break Edwards says shows just how reliant we've become on digital connection.
"People really connected to Facebook," Edwards said. "That's the new society. This is the society we live in and that's part of our daily lives."
A Facebook spokesperson apologized for the worldwide blunder, saying quote, "We know billions of people and businesses around the world depend on our products and services to stay connected. We appreciate your patience as we come back online."
Facebook confirmed that the outage started around 11am and was resolved shortly after 6:30 in the evening.
