The digital dark age is a term that describes the risk of losing our digital data due to obsolete formats, hardware, or software. Imagine if you could not access your precious photos, videos, documents, or emails because they were stored in a way that is no longer readable or compatible with modern technology. This could happen to not only individuals, but also businesses, governments, and institutions that rely on digital data for their operations and records. How can we prevent this from happening and preserve our digital heritage for the future?

What Is the Digital Dark Age?

The digital dark age is a lack of historical information in the digital age. It happens when digital data becomes corrupt, scarce, or inaccessible as technologies evolve and data decays.

Future generations may find it difficult or impossible to retrieve electronic documents and multimedia. This is because they are recorded in an obsolete and obscure file format, or on an obsolete physical medium. For example, floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, hard drives, etc.

The name derives from the term Dark Ages. It refers to the period between the fall of the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages. Historians know little about this era because of the scarcity of written records.

The term digital dark age was first used at a conference of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in 1997. It was also mentioned in 1998 at the Time and Bits conference, which was co-sponsored by the Long Now Foundation and the Getty Conservation Institute.

What Causes the Digital Dark Age?

Several factors contribute to the digital dark age, such as:

• Physical decay: Digital data is stored on physical media, such as hard drives, CDs, DVDs, flash drives, tapes, etc. These media can degrade over time due to environmental factors, such as heat, humidity, dust, or magnetic fields. They can also be damaged by accidents, such as fire, water, or mechanical failure. For example, NASA lost some of its early space records because the tapes they used flaked, stretched, and broke when played.
• Format obsolescence: Digital data is encoded in specific formats, such as JPEG, MP3, PDF, DOC, etc. These formats can become obsolete as new formats are developed or adopted. They can also be proprietary, meaning that they are controlled by a single company or organization that may not share the specifications or support the format in the future. For example, some of the floppy disks that contained the backup of a PC in the 1980s could not be restored because the backup program was no longer available or compatible.
• Software dependency: Digital data is often dependent on specific software to be accessed, viewed, edited, or processed. This software can also become obsolete, incompatible, or unavailable over time. It can also be affected by security issues, such as viruses, malware, or hacking. For example, some of the websites that were created in the 1990s or early 2000s can no longer be displayed properly or at all because they used outdated or insecure software, such as Flash, Java, or ActiveX.
• Hardware dependency: Digital data is also dependent on specific hardware to be read, written, or transferred. This hardware can also become obsolete, incompatible, or unavailable over time. It can also be affected by technological changes, such as new standards, interfaces, or protocols. For example, some of the data that was stored on laser discs, zip drives, or floppy disks can no longer be accessed because the devices that can read them are rare, expensive, or non-existent.

What Are the Consequences of the Digital Dark Age?

The digital dark age can have serious consequences for our society, culture, and history, such as:

• Loss of information: The digital dark age can result in the loss of valuable information that is important for our knowledge, education, research, or innovation. This information can include scientific data, historical records, artistic works, legal documents, personal memories, etc. For example, some of the data that was collected by the 1986 BBC Domesday Project, which aimed to create a modern version of the Domesday Book, is now difficult or impossible to retrieve because it was stored on a laser disk that requires a special device to read.
• Loss of identity: The digital dark age can also result in the loss of our identity, both as individuals and as groups. Our digital data can reflect our personality, interests, preferences, opinions, beliefs, values, etc. It can also represent our relationships, connections, interactions, and communications with others. For example, some of the photos, videos, messages, or posts that we create or share online can be lost or inaccessible in the future, making it harder for us or others to remember or understand who we are or were.
• Loss of accountability: The digital dark age can also result in the loss of accountability, both for ourselves and for others. Our digital data can provide evidence, proof, or verification of our actions, decisions, or responsibilities. It can also expose, challenge, or criticize the actions, decisions, or responsibilities of others, such as governments, corporations, or organizations. For example, some of the data that is related to human rights, democracy, justice, or corruption can be lost or inaccessible in the future, making it harder for us or others to hold ourselves or others accountable.

How to Prevent the Digital Dark Age?

The digital dark age is not inevitable, but it requires our awareness and action to prevent it. There are several strategies that we can adopt to preserve our digital data for the future, such as:

Conclusion

The digital dark age is a real and serious threat that can affect our digital data and our digital legacy. However, we can avoid it by taking steps to back up, migrate, emulate, curate, and preserve our data. By doing so, we can ensure that our data is not only safe and secure but also accessible and meaningful for ourselves and future generations.

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