Directory of Research and Expertise

Archiving social media: a comparative study of the practices, obstacles, and opportunities related to the development of social media archives

My project proposes to conduct a comparative study of national and international cultural heritage institutions that are either already involved with or are planning to undertake the long-term preservation of social media content. As a digital assemblage of data, objects and human interactions, social media holds a unique cultural value, offering privileged insights on to history, social trends, politics, and economic matters. In the last decade, archivists have come a long way in the practice of archiving social media, but they are still facing significant challenges. By comparing their direct experience, my research aims to identify best practices and suggest guidelines for upcoming projects.