This project is the third in a series of explorations on the topic of death and the digital.
* * *
My project on last tweets made me think more deeply about the legacy we leave online. Websites, accounts, and profiles are ever-lasting fingerprints that people leave on the internet. Unlike our bodies, our digital data is immortal; even when we attempt to erase our information, it’s rarely removed completely.
etoy.CORPORATION, a new media art group, has begun a project on this topic called “Mission Eternity.” They propose a method for archiving the evidence of one’s life into digital data packages that can be stored on servers and hard drives. These packages would include everything from photos, video, and voice recordings, to DNA samples and legal documents.
Given the speed at which our world is becoming digital, etoy.CORPORATION’s proposal doesn’t seem that far-fetched. What might our tombs and urns look like in the future? What will they be filled with?
