Why did we create a new Instagram account?
It was the last month of the year and a very busy day. On these days, our attention always ends up being more compromised and mistakes can easily happen. On this entrepreneurial journey of mine, I have learned to manage better my agenda, my time, and my 'do's' and 'don'ts'. Essentially, what I want to do, what I don’t want to do versus what I can do and can’t do. In a society driven by anxiety and productivity, at all costs, it is vital that we have our limits very well established. More than that: we deserve to have a work-life balance, enjoy our work but still protect our personal and family spaces we deem sacred.
Perhaps what happened was another opportunity to remind myself to slow down and empty the agenda instead of overloading it. Amidst all the multi-tasking and predominantly male energy that I'm trying to overcome, I accessed a pitching email that looked like it was from META. The contents of the message made me believe that the KACAU account was under attack for being a lingerie brand where we naturally and elegantly expose female bodies. I clicked on the link, hoping to resolve the problem, against my intuition that warned me not to, as it was neither the normal procedure nor did the page, so well put together, belong to Instagram. However, in the frenzy of the moment, my intuition was silenced.
It all happened very quickly and 5 minutes later I realised my mistake. The Instagram account was being hacked and I started receiving several emails with changes that had not been done by me nor the team that manages the social networks. The email was changed, the cell phone contact deleted and the three-step verification that we had in place left incomplete. I lost all opportunities to recover the account and even after following all the steps indicated by Instagram support (which is non-existent) it was impossible to unlock the account. Neither I nor the hacker could have access to the account, even though I reported that all these changes were not performed by me.
After much thought and several attempts to get support, I had to forfeit our original page. I wasn't going to give in to the extortion attempts I foresaw through the messages and calls I started receiving from the hacker. I wasn´t going to fuel a criminal act, even if it meant losing the community that we had formed with so much work and care.
I believe more and more that life events are happening for me rather than to me and that's how it was, with some regret but a lot of conviction. So, I decided to turn a problem into a great opportunity.
An opportunity to rethink our online presence and build something even better. To start all over again but stronger, with greater beauty and a sense of mission. Nothing was going to stop us now!
In February 2023, we launched a new Kacau account, closer to our clients’ needs and more empowered.
Today you can follow us at @kacautomdepele.oficial and perhaps one day the previous account will be deleted and we can go back to simply being @kacautomdepele.
Despite everything, I am very happy to have this opportunity for rebirth, for staying true to our principles and building something together.
Since my basic training is in the area of Communication and Public Relations, I value all communication channels that bring Kacau closer to its wonderful community. That is how I see social media. It's not about the 'likes'. It's about the service, communication and the bond we can create together.
Thanks for being here.
With love,
Elisabete
