Have you ever wondered about past libraries throughout global history, which have been destroyed either by accident or malicious intent, and in turn losing valuable knowledge transcribed on books and texts?
Well, today the physical libraries are not the only knowledge centres at risk of losing valuable human records in understanding the world we live in. Our digital history via the internet could be facing a black hole of being lost forever. Recently the Internet Archive experienced a cyber attack from hackers... sparking fears on the potential worst case scenario.
So why is this happening? And what are we doing to protect our past? To discuss the importance of digital archives, 4ZZZ's Toni Pankaluic spoke with Professor George Buchanan, Deputy Dean of Research at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University's School of Computing Technologies to learn more about the cyberattack as well as digital preservation currently happening for the future.
For a deep dive...
To gain a basic understanding of what is the Internet Archive and it's Wayback Machine... click the hyperlinks. Digital preservation is of vital importance in keeping data and files accessible, learn why it is important in saving our internet history. The United States' Library of Congress is an example of another organisation engaging in digital preservation of records and information.

Your 11AM Zedlines with Charlie and Yuchen (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Your (messy) 10AM Zedlines with Asha, Ava and Dan (Images via Wikimedia Commons)

Your 9AM Zedlines with Charlie and Yuchen (Image via Public Domain Pictures)

Your 8AM Zedlines with Asha, Ava and Dan (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Your 11AM Zedlines with HG, Stella, Sarah, and Eden

Your 10AM Zedlines with Alec, Sarah, Vivek, and Eden

Your 9am Zedlines with Em, Vivek and Stella.

Your 8am Zedlines with Vivek, Em and Alec

Your 11AM Zedlines with Hailey and Georgie

Your 10AM Zedlines with Cass and Lachlan
Image credit: Vera Kratochvil

Your 9AM Zedlines with Cass and Hailey

Your 8AM Zedlines with Lachlan and Georgie.
Image Credit: Foran Lawn & Yard.

Your 11AM Zedlines with Livinia and Clementine

Your 10AM Zedlines with Livinia and Clementine

Your 9AM Zedlines with Livinia and Clementine
Your 8AM Zedlines with Livinia and Clementine

Your 11AM Zedlines with Ellen, Miko and Niamh
IMG: From Wikimedia Commons under CC4.0

Your 9AM Zedlines with Miko and Niamh
IMG: From PhotosByCapy

Your 10AM Zedlines with Alanah, Sarah and Ellen
IMG: From Wikimedia Commons under CC4.0

Your 8AM Zedlines with Alanah and Sarah
IMG: From Dorothy Day House on Facebook

Your 11AM Zedlines with Charlie and Ethan! (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Your 10AM Zedlines with Asha, Ava and Yuchen! (Image via The Wire)

Your 9AM Zedlines with Charlie and Ethan! (Image via Pixnio)

Your 8AM Zedlines with Asha, Ava and Yuchen! (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Your 10AM Zedlines with Alec, HG, Sarah, and Vivek

Your 9AM Zedlines with Stella, Alec, HG, and Eden

Your 8AM Zedlines with Alec, Vivek, and Sarah

Your 11AM Zedlines with Hailey and Cass