When you hit ‘delete’, what really happens to your data?
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Deletion is a common part of modern life. We send files and folders to the recycle bin all the time, and often get rid of unwanted personal accounts. But do you know what really happens when you hit the “delete” button?
The process of deletion is often poorly explained by tech providers. Lack of transparency around how requests are processed, and the absence of clear confirmation that data has been removed, are frequently highlighted in research.
These issues are not limited to operating systems. On social media platforms and a wide range of subscription services, deletion mechanisms are often just as unclear. Such misconceptions can have serious implications for the wellbeing of users, exposing them to security and privacy vulnerabilities.
A further complication is that many users fear losing data, files, photos and videos through accidental deletion – a condition dubbed “diagraphephobia”. Though this is not a recognised pathology, studies of digital hoarding behaviour show that some people get very anxious at the thought of losing or accidentally deleting personal information such as photos and music.
Such concerns extend the amount of personal data that sits untended but undeleted, ready for potential misappropriation.
Deletion vs erasure
A common misconception is thinking deletion means erasure – the idea that once a deleted item is no longer visible, it has been completely erased...