Threats

This page outlines the most significant potential threats to Blot.

Payment processing

We use Stripe and PayPal to process payments. If Stripe or PayPal refused to continue processing payments for Blot, or if Stripe or PayPal themselves closed, we would be without revenue immediately.

Solutions:

• Support payment methods without an intermediary: e.g. cryptocurrencies, cash.

Hosting

AWS provides the hardware on which Blot runs. If AWS decides something published on Blot violates their intricate terms of use, we would need to move to another provider. Losing access to AWS would be a disaster. All of our backups are stored within AWS.

Solutions:

• Make off-site backups.
• Control our own hardware.
• Run our own hardware in our own building.

Cultural issues

We do no prohibit the publication of anything on our platform, provided it is legal for us to host. The day will come when someone posts something that upsets someone else who's powerful enough to apply substantial pressure against our platform. Perhaps enough of our customers will close their accounts.

Solutions:

• Have plans in place for a massive reduction in revenue at any point (i.e. cash reserve)

Legal issues

We could get sued by a well-resourced customer, or someone who reads a customer's site.

Solutions:

• Have enough money in reserve to hire competent lawyers.

Personnel issues

Blot's bus factor is still 1 – if I get hit by a bus the show stops. Since the source code is public, it would be possible for those who liked Blot to keep it going on a different server, but coordinating the switch might be tough.

Solutions:

• Hire a full-time employee who is capable of running the site without me.
• Write a succession protocol.

Competitors

Someone could come along and produce a superior product to Blot.

Solutions:

• Keep working hard on Blot.