Some researchers use the term "virgin forest" metaphorically to describe the internet in its early, unmonetized state.
: Digital storage media (hard drives, tapes) degrade faster than old-growth trees.
: The Internet Archive and Google Earth Engine host decades of satellite imagery showing the shrinkage of virgin forests over time. The "Internet Archive" as a Digital Wilderness virgin forest internet archive
Whether archiving data about a real forest or the "wild" internet, several hurdles exist:
: This tool acts as the primary archive for this digital wilderness. Some researchers use the term "virgin forest" metaphorically
In a literal sense, a virgin forest is an old-growth forest that has reached a great age without significant disturbance. These ecosystems are biological time capsules.
: The 1990s web was a "virgin forest" of personal homepages and Geocities sites. The "Internet Archive" as a Digital Wilderness Whether
: Projects like the Rainforest Connection use old cell phones to create a live "internet archive" of forest sounds.