Once It's Online, It Can't Be Erased
"The internet never forgets" is a common saying. Photos posted on social media, blog articles, forum comments - even after pressing the delete button, they may not truly be gone. Why does the internet "never forget"?
The Wayback Machine - The Internet's Library
The "Wayback Machine," operated by the nonprofit Internet Archive, has been automatically saving web pages from around the world since 1996. As of 2024, over 866 billion pages have been preserved.
This means the homepage you created 10 years ago or the blog post you deleted 5 years ago may still be saved in the Wayback Machine. Simply enter a URL to view a page as it appeared at a specific point in the past.
The Wayback Machine is widely used for legitimate purposes including academic research, journalism, and legal evidence preservation. On the other hand, it also creates the problem of "information that should have been deleted still being accessible."
Web Archives - A Unique Japanese Culture
Japan has a unique service called "Web Gyotaku" (web fish print). It's a service where users can save snapshots of any web page, primarily used for "evidence preservation."
- Taking a snapshot of controversial statements before they're deleted
- Preserving pages about corporate scandals before they're removed
- Recording price displays from online shops
The expression "having a gyotaku taken" is deeply rooted in Japanese internet culture.
Is "Deleting" on Social Media Really Deleting?
Even after deleting a social media post, information may persist for the following reasons. This mirrors how file deletion works on your own devices - as explained in what really happens when you delete a file, "deleting" rarely means the data is truly gone.
- Other users' screenshots: If someone took a screenshot, it can spread even after you delete the original
- Search engine cache: Google retains copies (caches) of web pages for a certain period. They may remain viewable from the cache for a while after deletion
- Service provider backups: Service providers may retain data backups for legal obligations or system reasons. Understanding how cloud storage handles your data helps explain why deletion requests don't always take immediate effect
- Shares and retweets: Once another user shares your post, copies remain even if you delete the original
The "Right to Be Forgotten" - A Legal Countermeasure
The EU's GDPR includes the "Right to be Forgotten." Individuals can request that search engines remove search results about them.
In 2014, the EU Court of Justice ordered Google to remove links from search results based on individual requests. Since then, Google has been accepting deletion requests from EU citizens, and by 2024, millions of URLs have been removed from search results.
However, this only removes links from search results - the original pages themselves are not deleted. They may still be accessible by entering the URL directly.
Protecting Yourself
- Think before posting: Use the standard of "would I be okay with this being seen 10 years from now?"
- Minimize personal information: Be cautious about sharing your real name, address, phone number, and employer
- Review privacy settings: Regularly review the visibility settings on your social media accounts
- Set up Google Alerts: Set up Google Alerts for your name to be notified when new information is published
The IP address you can check on IP Check-san is also recorded in website access logs. Your online activities are recorded more than you might think. To understand the full scope of the trail you leave behind, read our article on your digital footprint.
Summary
The Wayback Machine has preserved over 866 billion pages, web archives have created a culture of evidence preservation, and screenshots spread in an instant. The "delete button" is not all-powerful. Act on the assumption that information published on the internet may remain forever.