Where Do Deleted Files Go?

Summary

This script delves into the concept of deletion, contrasting it with creation. It explores how deletion is not just a digital phenomenon but also a physical one, with examples like the erasure of Trotsky from history and the recovery of data from discarded electronics in Ghana. The script ponders the permanence of deletion, discussing data recovery and the potential for digital and physical 'unshredding.' It concludes by reflecting on the inevitability of deletion in the universe's grand scale, yet encourages a perspective that sees it as a canvas for new creation.

Takeaways

• 🎬 The majority of silent films and ancient wonders have been lost or erased, reflecting the theme of deletion in history and media.
• 📸 Historical figures, like Trotsky, were removed from photos, illustrating the concept of erasure even in visual records.
• 🔍 Software tools and services allow for the digital erasure of people or elements from photos, similar to historical practices.
• 📚 The Google Ngram Viewer shows the shift from using 'erase' to 'delete' in literature, indicating a cultural change in terminology.
• 🗑️ Moving a file to the trash is not a complete deletion; it remains in a temporary directory, potentially recoverable.
• ⚠️ Emptying the trash warns of irreversibility, but the physical space the file occupied is not truly cleared, only marked as available.
• 🔑 Pointers in a computer's memory act like a table of contents, directing to where the actual data is stored; deleting a file removes these pointers, not the data itself.
• 🛠️ Data recovery tools can scan 'empty' memory to find and restore deleted files, unless they have been overwritten.
• 🧩 Overwriting a file can corrupt it, blending it with new data, sometimes creating interesting, unintended results.
• 🗑️🔥 To ensure complete deletion, files must be overwritten multiple times, yet even this may not be foolproof due to bad sectors.
• 🌐 The improper disposal of electronic waste, such as in Ghana, can lead to the recovery of sensitive data from discarded devices.
• 📄 Even physical shredding of documents is not a guaranteed deletion method, as pieces can be reassembled, as evidenced by historical events.
• 🌌 The universe is predicted to reach a state of maximum entropy, or heat death, where no usable energy remains, suggesting a cosmic form of deletion.
• 🏁 Isaac Asimov's 'The Last Question' contemplates the end of the universe, where deletion may be the ultimate fate of all information.
• 🚩 The American flags on the Moon, bleached by solar radiation, symbolize both the inevitability of deletion and the possibility for new beginnings.

Q & A

What is the significance of the year 1979 in the context of the script?

1979 is significant because, according to the Google Ngram Viewer, it was the first year the word 'delete' was used more often than 'erase,' indicating a shift in how we approach the concept of removal or obliteration.

How does the script describe the process of deleting a file on a computer?

The script explains that deleting a file involves moving it to the trash, where it remains in a temporary directory. When the trash is emptied, the file's space is marked as available but the file's data itself isn't immediately removed; only the pointers to the file are removed, making the space appear empty to the system.

What role do pointers play in the deletion process of a file?

Pointers are data that point to locations in memory where the actual file data is stored. Deleting a file is akin to removing the pointers, not the file data itself, which leaves the data in place but inaccessible to the system unless it's recovered by special tools.

What is the concept of 'digital purgatory' mentioned in the script?

'Digital purgatory' refers to the temporary directory where files are stored after being deleted but before the trash is emptied. It's a state where files are technically deleted but can still be recovered if needed.

How can data recovery tools retrieve files that have been deleted?

Data recovery tools can scan the memory marked as 'empty' to find remnants of deleted files. If the file data hasn't been overwritten, these tools can save and recover the file, effectively 'undeleting' it.

What is the issue with files that have been overwritten?

Overwriting a file can corrupt it, melding it with other data, making it difficult or impossible to fully recover the original file. This can result in a 'digital Frankenstein's monster,' a mix of the original data and the new data.

What is the story of Melanie Willhide and how does it relate to data deletion?

Melanie Willhide's laptop was stolen, and the thief wiped the hard drive but used it for his own purposes. Data recovery experts found some of her files still present but slightly overwritten. The corruption resulted in a unique artistic effect, which she exhibited in a show titled 'To Adrian Rodriguez, with love,' highlighting the unexpected outcomes of data deletion.

Why might someone need to overwrite a file multiple times to ensure it can't be recovered?

Overwriting a file multiple times ensures that the original data is less likely to be recovered, even by advanced data recovery tools. This is done to prevent any remnants of the original file from being pieced back together.

What are 'bad sectors' and why are they a concern for data deletion?

Bad sectors are parts of a drive that are inaccessible due to failed transistors or physical damage. Overwriting data won't affect these sectors, meaning any data that was stored there remains, potentially retrievable by someone with the right tools and knowledge.

How does the script connect the concept of deletion to the broader universe and the concept of entropy?

The script suggests that the process of deletion is analogous to the universe's eventual heat death, where energy becomes evenly distributed and no gradients exist to drive processes or create new things. This connects the microcosm of digital deletion to the macrocosm of the universe's fate.

What is the philosophical question posed by the script regarding the American flags on the Moon?

The script questions whether the bleached, colorless American flags on the Moon represent a defeat, a deletion of human presence, or a blank canvas, a fresh start for new stories, challenging the viewer to consider the nature of deletion in a broader sense.