Digital hoarding refers to the behavior of never deleting digital files, emails, photos, or other digital content, which can lead to a cluttered and disorganized digital environment. This behavior is often fueled by a fear of losing important information or sentimental value attached to certain items. It can also be a result of a lack of digital organization skills or a desire to preserve a record of one’s life.
Digital hoarding can have negative consequences, such as reduced productivity due to the difficulty of finding necessary information, increased stress and anxiety related to digital clutter, and reduced storage space on devices. Additionally, digital hoarding can make it challenging to manage one’s digital footprint and personal information security, increasing the risk of data breaches and identity theft.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM) recognizes hoarding disorder as a mental illness. According to work carried out by tech researcher Maitrik Kataria and his colleagues at digital product engineering firm Simform, the average American has at least 40 apps installed on their phone but uses less than 50 percent of them.
It’s important to develop healthy digital organization habits, such as regularly deleting unnecessary files, organizing files into folders, and regularly backing up important data. Seeking professional help may also be beneficial if digital hoarding is causing significant distress or interfering with daily life.