Digital content fragility: Is preserving data even possible today?

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• November 9, 2021

The digital age, while abounding in opportunities, presents significant challenges including the preservation and security of digital content. Constant evolution of technology, underdeveloped data management protocols, and the vulnerability of digital files to corruption demand a concerted response from all sectors of society. In turn, strategic collaborations and continuous technological improvements in digital content management can foster economic growth, upskill the workforce, and drive sustainable technology development.

Digital content fragility context

The rise of the Information Age has presented us with unique challenges that weren't imagined a few decades ago. For instance, the constant evolution of hardware, software, and coding languages used for cloud-based storage systems presents a significant hurdle. As these technologies change, the risk of outdated systems becoming incompatible or even ceasing to function increases, which jeopardizes the security and accessibility of the data stored within them. 

In addition, the protocols to handle, index, and document the vast amounts of data stored in existing databases are still in their infancy, which raises key questions about data selection and prioritization for backup. What kind of data do we prioritize for storage? What criteria should we use to determine which information is of historical, scientific, or cultural value? A high-profile example of this challenge is the Twitter Archive at the Library of Congress, an initiative launched in 2010 to archive all public tweets. The project ended in 2017 due to the ever-increasing volume of tweets and the difficulty in managing and making such data accessible.

While digital data does not face the physical degradation issues inherent to books or other physical mediums, it comes with its own set of vulnerabilities. A singular corrupt file or an unstable network connection can erase digital content in an instant, underscoring the fragility of our online knowledge repository. The 2020 Garmin Ransomware attack serves as a stark reminder of this vulnerability, where a single cyberattack disrupted the company's operations worldwide, impacting millions of users.

Disruptive impact

In the long term, the steps taken by libraries, repositories, and organizations like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to streamline digital data preservation could have profound implications. Collaboration between these entities could result in the creation of more resilient backup systems, providing a safeguard for the world's accumulated digital knowledge. As such systems improve and become more widespread, this could mean that critical information remains accessible despite technical hitches or system failures. The Google Arts & Culture project, initiated in 2011 and still ongoing, demonstrates such a collaboration where digital technology is used to preserve and make accessible vast amounts of art and culture globally, effectively future-proofing humanity's cultural heritage.

Meanwhile, the increasing focus on addressing cybersecurity risks associated with cloud-based systems is essential for maintaining public trust and ensuring the integrity of stored data. Ongoing advancements in cybersecurity could lead to the development of more secure cloud infrastructure, reducing the risk of data breaches and boosting confidence in digital systems. An example of this is the Quantum Computing Cybersecurity Preparedness Act by the US government, which requires agencies to transition to systems that resist even the most powerful quantum computing attacks.

Moreover, the continuous upgrades and improvements in digital infrastructures have ramifications beyond security. They may influence legal landscapes, especially regarding intellectual property rights and data privacy. This development might require amendments to existing legal frameworks or the development of new laws altogether, which would impact both private and public sectors.

Implications of digital content fragility

Wider implications of digital content fragility may include:

• Governments heavily investing in cloud systems, including hiring more IT professionals to ensure public data is secured.
• Libraries maintaining ancient manuscripts and artifacts investing in technologies that would allow them to have an online backup.
• Cybersecurity providers constantly upgrading their products against increasingly complex hacking attacks.
• Banks and other information-sensitive organizations that need to ensure data accuracy and recoverability facing more sophisticated cyberattacks.
• A heightened interest in digital preservation leading to more investments in technology education, resulting in an upskilled workforce prepared to tackle future digital challenges.
• The necessity to balance data preservation with environmental sustainability driving the innovation of energy-efficient data storage technologies, contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions in the IT sector.
• A widespread loss of critical information over time, leading to significant gaps in our collective historical, cultural, and scientific knowledge.
• The potential for digital content to be lost or manipulated fostering distrust in online information sources, affecting political discourse and public opinion formation.

Questions to consider

• Do you think it’s important to keep an online repository of our civilization’s essential information? Why or why not?
• How do you ensure that your personal digital content is preserved?