Consumers Are Taking a Gamble on Their Digital Data

Americans are still not taking the time to backup their computer data, and those that backup do it too infrequently, according to a new study released by Memeo, Inc., a leader in digital media management services for the home and business. The survey indicates consumers are at risk of losing precious personal data, such as digital pictures, emails, financial documents and correspondence, as they have no backup source should a computer hard drive fail.

The average American adult has 1,800 digital files of irreplaceable memories and personal documents, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. However, according to Memeo’s study, 74% of those surveyed revealed they backup their data no more than once every three months, 24% of which never backup at all. Respondents’ biggest frustration with backing up files is that they believe it is time consuming (38%), expensive (24%) and that they just don’t know how (22%).

“With the holiday season in full swing, Americans are going to take a lot of digital pictures and videos of events with friends and family, making this time of year especially crucial for consumers to backup their data,” said Hong Bui, CEO and founder of Memeo. “Most people never realize the importance of a complete backup system until something unfortunate happens and they lose everything. The reality is that most people need a combination of online and offline backup options to keep their important data safe in the event of a disaster as well as quickly accessible.”

With so many circumstances beyond an individual’s control, such as physical damage, theft and file corruption, consumers should adopt a two-prong approach to backing up, which includes online and local plans.

Memeo offers the following key reasons why both forms of backup are essential:

1. Online backup is disaster-proof and protects data even when the computer is stolen, dropped and damaged.
2. Online backup is available anywhere that has an Internet connection. Consumers are not limited to their local backup system in order to retrieve data.
3. Online storage is often free or low cost.
4. Local backup is important because consumers can retrieve and restore files very quickly, ideal for high volumes of files that are frequently accessed.
5. Backing up locally also means that individuals have complete control of their data at all times. Online services own and manage a user’s files, which are in turn susceptible to policy changes, such as pricing   and accessibility.