Day Two : The Leak - ARR

 You wake up one day and discover that a searchable database of all private messages sent in the past 5 years on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tinder, Google Chat and many other social platforms has been leaked online. It is being shared, downloaded, re-uploaded and replicated faster than anyone can block or delete it.

• What actions do you take in the first five minutes after hearing this news?
  Take great, deliberate effort to calm my mind - sit through all the racing thoughts, feelings and impulses. Probably for a lot longer than five minutes - I will shut off all my communication channels, unplug all devices, and sit alone for a few hours BEFORE taking any action.
• How do you feel?
  Mainly worried if there is anything in there that will hurt other people - mainly a few loved ones. Other than that, I don't see any major problem - I would worry about a few very specific situations.
• What possible explanations do you come up with for what’s going on? Who is responsible for the leak, and why?
  Probably some sort of password hack leading to stuff being leaked online. I can think of nobody who may want to do that deliberately to me alone specifically. More likely someone who doesn't know me  well maybe finding it by chance.
• What do you predict other people might do when they discover the same thing?
  I'm actually unsure - probably panic. Some may start thinking of explanations that they may have to give others for specific actions. More corporate inclined people may consider legal options.
  
  
  
  
• What’s one real action you could take in the new few days or weeks to feel more prepared for the first five minutes of this scenario, if it were really to happen?
  Just mentally prepare for it by realizing and accepting that it could happen and there's not much you can do if it does. Sit calmly and try to gauge actual impact, separating that from fictional worst-case scenarios.
  
  To prevent it from happening - regularly refresh passwords, and maintain great password hygiene. 
  
  And basically - live clean and true. Don't do anything you wouldn't want to admit to and stand up for.