According to new research, a third of Brits have lost precious digital photos forever due to computer failures.
The research was commissioned by an online backup service called Mozy who were, unsurprisingly, rather keen to warn consumers about the perils of not fully backing up their content.
Twenty per cent sans le back up
Their study found that the average Brit has over 1,500 photos or videos stored on a computer and that a fifth of all respondents don’t back them up at all, leaving their precious data solely at the mercy of the hard drive.
Only a quarter of those asked bothered to back up their data on external storage but – as Mozy were quick to point out – that offers no protection if the house burns down, is burgled, hit by a flaming meteorite or alien attack.
“People think that backing up to CDs, USB keys and external hard drives is enough to keep their data safe but, whilst this is great way to get your data back quickly, it’s still at a massive risk of loss,” warned Claire Galbois-Alcaix of Mozy.
Your data is doomed
“Backing up to this sort of device can work perfectly if your computer fails but, if your laptop has been stolen or soaked by a burst water pipe, local backup typically falls foul to the same fate as the computer: in a house fire, a CD is just as likely to melt as a PC,” Claire continued.
That’s why a backup service that automatically makes a copy of your data locally as well as storing it securely online is such a good idea,” she insisted, while loudly coughing “MOZY!” in the background.
What would you save?
To underline the importance of user data, the company asked people what they’d try and save if their house turned into a blazing inferno.
The majority – 42 per cent – said they’d rush to grab their laptops while only 29 per cent would try and save their family heirlooms.
For a full comparison of online back up tools, check out our feature here: CrashPlan triumphs in comparison of online backup services.
