By Staff Writer Jerri Clewis
Imagine for a moment that something happens to your computer or phone. All those files disappear in a single moment—memorable photos that you can never get back, saved login information that you won’t ever remember, or critical files for homework, upcoming assignments, or semester-long research papers that haven’t been saved to the cloud. All of it gone in a flash.
That was my reality a few years ago.
It was three weeks before the semester was due to end, and I had just barely finished up a lengthy research paper. I had several other projects due during finals week, but everything was ready to go. I could breathe easy. All I had to do was study for my finals and then I would be home free for the summer break.
Those dreams changed when my computer suddenly quit without warning.
My situation was not new. People suffer from data loss every day, so much so that a Reddit post inspired a new national holiday—World Backup Day. The day quickly became official and now reminds people every March 31st of how important it is to backup data in case of loss.
It’s easy to forget how fragile and precious data is, but the future is uncertain. Data loss is pervasive, 113 phones are lost or stolen per minute and 30% of all computers are infected with malware. Yet, of all data loss, 29% of cases are caused by accidents.
I got lucky. I was able to rescue my data after extensive work, but others are not so fortunate. Let my story and the stories of others be your warning for the future—protect your data.
As World Backup Day comes around yet again, backup your computers and smartphones. If you’re not sure about where to start, check out the World Backup Day website for helpful tips and services