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Not sure which timeframe the author is talking about, but i think the paradox of the digital age is that long term preservation (>50 years) is clearly not a given.

I'm thinking about printing my photos in a paper photo books to make sure they'll never disappear in case of an icloud misbehavior.

And handwritten letters between diplomats will probably be there long after google decides to shutdown gmail or go bankrupt.

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I agree that static preservation on digital isn't guaranteed over the long term. There needs to be a conscious effort to ensure integrity. You make a good point about photos but was writing more about ideas and notes.

A definite challenge to preservation is navigating the balance between self maintained and trusting it to a company that will disappear one day.

I would still, argue that digital is the better medium for archival as it immediately makes it easier to share and discover.

> after google decides to shutdown gmail

Make it: After google decides that a chatbot can re-generate any old email perfectly well...

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