University of London Hosts Groundbreaking Born Digital Conference

This future-facing event, organised by the Digital Humanities Research Hub at the  School of Advanced Study, addressed the urgent need to preserve digital cultural heritage created solely for the internet that is ‘born digital’.

The conference featured a series of insightful presentations and discussions on the transformative impact of born-digital materials on research, archiving and cultural heritage. Collecting, accessing and sharing born-digital objects and data presents a range of complex technical, legal and ethical challenges that, if unaddressed, threaten the survival of important cultural materials and records from the 21st century. 

Attendees had the opportunity to explore innovative research, engage with technical challenges, and learn about future trends in digital heritage.

Key highlights of the conference included:

• Archiving TikTok: Experts examined the complexities of preserving content from emerging social platforms.
• Preserving Physical Data Storage: Discussions on saving heritage stored on obsolete media such as floppy disks and CD-ROMs.
• The Role of AI: Exploring how generative AI solutions can address the backlog in born-digital processing and assist in managing data at scale.
• Global Perspectives on Born-Digital Collections: Reflections on global inequalities in developing, discovering and accessing born-digital collections and archives.
• The Environmental Impact of Archiving Digital Content: Strategies for creating environmentally sustainable infrastructure for digital heritage preservation.

The event also provided networking opportunities, allowing participants to connect with thought leaders and innovators from prestigious institutions such as the Internet Archive, Digital Preservation Coalition, National Library of Norway, Royal Danish Library, Smithsonian Institution, Art Gallery of New South Wales, British Library, Science Museum Group, V&A, National Theatre and National Archives.

Dr Naomi Wells, one of the conference organisers, emphasised the importance of the event:

"The Born Digital conference is a crucial platform for addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by digital heritage. We are thrilled to see such a diverse and engaged group of participants who are motivated to save our digital cultural heritage for future generations."