What AT&T Says Caused The Massive Outage

Feb 23

Could IVF be at risk in states besides Alabama?; South Carolina primary preview

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Good morning,

Look ma, the New York Times profiled us! The article looks at our Instagram-first model of news, and some of the other key players in the industry.

Why were they interested? Because of the growing number of people turning specifically to Instagram for news. In 2023, 16% of American adults regularly got news on Instagram, which has doubled since 2018 and is more than on TikTok, X, and Reddit.
And it comes as Instagram is actually making it harder to see political content on the app. Unless followers opt in to seeing posts or follow news accounts, IG said this month that it would not recommend “political content.” (Lesson: Subscribe to the Mo Newsletter to ensure you get Mo’ news.)

What we’re telling them is that “people are very critical and cynical about information they’re getting from traditional outlets … It resonates where this guy on Instagram is breaking down the news.”

Have a great weekend and thanks for being part of our journey!

Mosheh, Jill, & Lauren

☎️ MASSIVE AT&T NETWORK OUTAGE EXPLAINED

AT&T users filed more than 1.5 million outage reports Thursday, unable to call, text, or browse on their phone, prompting a federal investigation. The country's largest telephone services provider confirmed late yesterday that they believe the problem was caused when an “incorrect process” was used to expand their network. AT&T made a point of adding that it was not caused by a cyber attack.

CALL ME MAYBE
Customers began reporting outages after 3 am ET. The complaints grew to over 70,000 by 10 am. The data is from DownDetector, a site that tracks self-reported outages. By 3 pm ET, AT&T said all service was restored. Cricket Wireless customers, which is owned by AT&T, also experienced outages.

For smartphone users, a “SOS mode” enabled emergency calls. And Massachusetts state police said they received a flood of calls from people seeing if their phone worked — which they said to stop.
However, incoming calls were also disrupted for some emergency service providers that use AT&T across the country.

WHERE MY LANDLINES AT?
Landlines were said to work just fine, but fewer than 30% of Americans had one in their home as of 2022. Verizon and T-Mobile said their networks were working normally and that reports from customers experiencing issues were “when calling or texting with customers served by another carrier” aka AT&T.

Federal officials continue to investigate. White House’s John Kirby reported that "AT&T has no reason to think this was a cyber or security incident.”
Not alone: T-Mobile has also had widespread outages before, including one last February, and one in 2020 that led to an FCC investigation.
Bloomberg spoke to people impacted Thursday. Vanessa Stowe had to screenshot directions to a morning meeting “like it’s 2009 MapQuest.” Remember that?

🔬 ALABAMA EMBRYO RULING’S IMPACTS ACROSS US

At least three of Alabama’s eight IVF clinics have paused some services in the wake of the state Supreme Court’s ruling, classifying frozen embryos outside the womb as children. Some legal experts said the ruling will encourage the nearly dozen other conservative states with ‘personhood’ laws (equating embryos with children) to consider further measures.

IVF ON PAUSE
On Wednesday, the University of Alabama Birmingham hospital became the first in the state to pause IVF treatments, while it considers the ruling’s legal implications. Yesterday, Alabama Fertility Services and Mobile Infirmary also decided to limit their IVF services.

This new court definition allows three couples to sue a fertility clinic — where their embryos were accidentally destroyed — under Alabama's Wrongful Death of a Minor Act.
- That case will now return to a lower state court for additional arguments by the clinic.
Could the definition go to the US Supreme Court? Legal scholar Mary Ziegler says “the Alabama Supreme Court is likely to be the last stop in this case,” because they ruled on a specific state law. Another case could arise that tries to make a federal/constitutional argument regarding IVF, however given the current makeup of the US Supreme Court, it will be “unlikely to recognize new reproductive rights under federal law.”

REAL WORLD IMPLICATIONS
A partner at Alabama Fertility, Beth Malizia, told the Washington Post she had to call four patients who were hours away from embryo transfers to tell them the procedures were being paused.

She says: “My patients were crying and upset, as I expected them to be… It felt absolutely terrible.”
The four patients will now have to wait at least a month— for their next ovulation— to start the procedure.

IMPACTS ACROSS THE US
The first-of-its-kind ruling could have implications nationwide. President Biden said yesterday the court's decision is a "direct result of the overturning of Roe v. Wade" — the 2022 US Supreme Court ruling which gave states the power to decide abortion access.

Some conservative and religious groups have targeted IVF before, saying that “personhood” begins at the point of fertilization.
Many abortion rights groups have been concerned that fertility care could be at risk when “personhood” is defined this way.
- Certain birth controls (like IUDs and PlanB) can prevent the implantation of an egg which has been fertilized.
- “The foundation for this has long been laid, and we’re now seeing the real world implications of that sort of theoretical framing of ‘life,’” said Dana Sussman, one of the leaders of Pregnancy Justice.
At least 11 states already have broad personhood definitions in their constitution which gives legal rights to unborn fetuses.
A Florida anti-abortion group is already using Alabama’s definition to ask their state’s court to review a 2024 ballot initiative to enshrine abortion rights in the Florida constitution.

🗳 SOUTH CAROLINA GOP PRIMARY TOMORROW

In the first head-to-head primary in a month, former President Donald Trump and Nikki Haley will face off tomorrow in South Carolina. Despite it being Haley’s home state, Trump is poised for another massive win on the road to the general election.

WHAT TO KNOW
Haley served as South Carolina’s governor for six years before Trump appointed her as the U.N. ambassador in 2017.

Despite her close ties to the state, multiple polls have Haley trailing Trump by roughly 30 points, particularly amongst the state’s strong conservative base.
Haley said this week that she’s staying in the race no matter the results. The Trump campaign says that the primary is over and he will have the delegates necessary to win the nomination within three to four weeks.

Primary polls close at 7 pm ET Saturday. If it’s anything like the primary and caucus races this election season, we won’t have to wait too long to see who wins.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Oklahoma nonbinary student’s death after in-school fight ‘not a result of trauma,’ police say (ABC NEWS)

📌 Ex-FBI source accused of lying about Bidens and having Russian contacts is re-arrested (AP)

📌 Biden meets with Alexei Navalny's wife and daughter to express "heartfelt condolences" then announces new sanctions on Russia (CBS NEWS)

📌 Court: Texas school legally punished Black student over hairstyle (AP)

📌 Bidens’ dog, Commander, bit Secret Service personnel in at least 24 incidents, records show (CNN)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 Leaked files from Chinese firm show vast international hacking effort (NPR)

📌 Pandas from China are headed to the San Diego Zoo (AP)

📌 Navalny's mother says authorities are blackmailing her to hold secret burial (AXIOS)

📌 Israel to join truce talks in Paris after pressure from US and amid heavy Gaza bombardment (REUTERS)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Google pauses Gemini’s ability to generate AI images of people after diversity errors (THE VERGE)

📌 Only half of TikTok users actually post on the platform, report finds (AXIOS)

📌 Apple launches its own sports app for the first time (CNN)

📌 We finally know how baleen whales make noise (POPSCI)

📌 Pharmacies nationwide face delays as health-care tech company reports cyberattack (FOX BUSINESS)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Wendy Williams diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia (NBC NEWS)

📌 Eldest Obama daughter now going by new name as she tries to step out of parents’ shadow (BUZZFEED)

📌 'Rust' armorer Hannah Gutierrez's trial begins with each side arguing over safety on set (ABC NEWS)

📌 Bobi, named world’s oldest ever dog, loses title after investigation (PEOPLE)

🎉 CHEERS TO THE FREAKIN WEEKEND

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING: Mosheh: The New Look~ Apple TV;
Jill: This Is Me... Now~ Prime TV.
WHAT WE’RE READING: Mosheh: “They are among us’: Russia’s terrifyingly effective poisoning operation”~ Courtney Weaver at FT; Jill: “Why the most educated people in America fall for anti-semitic lies”~ Dara Horn at The Atlantic.
WHAT WE’RE EATING: Mosheh: Skyline Chili and Graeter's; Jill: Birthday cake to celebrate my mom.

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