A powerful metaphor that came into prominence in 2007
was the carbon footprint. Suddenly everyone started talking
about reducing carbon emissions, from schoolchildren to world
leaders, concerned with how we are destroying our planet
and what actions can be taken to reduce these footprints. In
a similar vein, people are beginning to talk about their ever
growing digital footprints. Part of the reason for this is that the
limits of digital storage are no longer a pressing issue. It is all
around us, costing next to nothing, from ten-a-penny memory
sticks and cards to vast digital Internet data banks that are
freely available for individuals to store their photos, videos,
emails and documents.