Why Digital Video Preservation Matters
Public social media feeds are ephemeral. Videos routinely disappear due to platform policy updates, user account deactivations, geoblocks, and copyright takedowns. Without independent archival custody, invaluable historical evidence, educational tutorials, and investigative citizen journalism can vanish permanently.
The 4 Cornerstones of Responsible Archiving:
- Lossless Master Retention: Never re-encode master files; keep original progressive MP4 streams untouched.
- Verifiable Provenance: Maintain source URLs, author handles, timestamps, and SHA-256 cryptographic hashes.
- The 3-2-1 Rule: Maintain three copies across two distinct media types, with at least one copy stored offsite.
- Ethical Respect: Protect individual privacy, comply with fair use, and respect copyright boundaries.
