Web Preservation in a Web 2.0 Environment · A centre of expertise in digital information management Web Preservation in a Web 2.0 Environment Brian Kelly UKOLN University of Bath

A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk

Web Preservation in a Web 2.0 EnvironmentBrian KellyUKOLNUniversity of BathBath, [email protected]

UKOLN is supported by:

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/jisc-powr-2008-09/http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/jisc-powr-2008-09/

About This TalkWill use of Web 2.0 services lead to new preservation concerns? And how should we respond to these new challenges?

About This TalkWill use of Web 2.0 services lead to new preservation concerns? And how should we respond to these new challenges?

This work is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 licence (but note caveat)

Resources bookmarked using ‘jisc-powr-2008-09' tag Resources bookmarked using ‘jisc-powr-2008-09' tag

A centre of expertise in digital information management www.ukoln.ac.uk 2

Is Web 2.0 Different?Implications of Web 2.0 for Web site preservation:

• Use of 3rd party services (‘network as platform’)• Content � collaboration and communication• Richer diversity of services (not just a file on a

filestore/CMS/database)• More complex IPR issues

Let’s look at:• Case study 1 - wikis• Case study 2 – blogs• Case study 3 – reusing data• Case study 4 – comms tools• Case study 5 – recording events• Case study 6 – Slideshare• Case study 7 – Use of video tools• Case study 8 – social networks

Web

2.0


Case Study 1: A Public WikiWetPaint wiki used to support various workshopsApproaches taken:

• Open access to all prior to & during event (to minimise barriers to creating content)

• Access restricted to WetPaint users after event

• Access later restricted to event organisers

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2.0

Many aspects of Web site curation are to do with implementing such best practices, rather than implementing technical solutions

Many aspects of Web site curation are to do with implementing such best practices, rather than implementing technical solutions

See JISC PoWR blog post


Case Study 1: A Public WikiWetPaint provides an option for backing up data.A zipped file of the pages can be saved for storing on a locally managed service.

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2.0

There are limitations in this particular service (poor quality HTML, internal links don’t work, …)But this does illustrate an approach which can be taken.


Case Study 2a: Blog MigrationHow might you migrate the contents of a blog (e.g. you’re leaving college)?This question was raised by Casey Leaver, shortly before leaving Warwick University

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2.0


Web

2.0 Case Study 2a: Blog MigrationShe migrated her blog from blogs at Warwick Univ to Wordpress

Note, though, that not all data was transferred (e.g. title, butnot contents) so there’s a need to check transfer mechanisms


Case Study 2a: Blog MigrationA backup of UK Web Focus blog is available on Vox:

• Manual migration of new posts every few weeks

• Only migrates text• Doesn’t migrate images, embedded videos, internal links, comments, …

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2.0

Migration of blogs, wikis, etc. is not currently an easy task �But advice is available


Case Study 2b: The Individual’s Blog (1)

Auricle blog:• Launched Jan

2004 by head of e-learning team, Bath

• High profile & public visibility by early adopter & evangelist

Today:• It’s gone• Lost after

evangelist left, new staff arrive, new priorities, …

Thoughts?


Case Study 2b: The Individual’s Blog (2)

Auricle reborn:• Further Google

revealed the blog has been reborn

• New domain (www.auricle.org/)

• New engine (Wordpress) & look and feel (but old engine still available)

• New content being added

• Old content still accessible

Thoughts?


Case Study 3: Reusing DataBlog post in Facebook. Possible concerns:

• It’s not sustainable• You’ve given ownership

to Facebook

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2.0

Response:• The post is managed in

WordPress; Fb displays copy (to new audience)

• Fb don’t claim ownership – they claim rights to make money (e.g. through ads)


Case Study 4: Disposable DataTwitter – example of a micro-blogging applicationFacebook status messages is another related example

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2.0

Issues:• Will Twitter be sustain-

able over a long period?• What will happen to the

data?• What about the IPR for

‘tweets’?• What about institutional

uses?


Case Study 4: Disposable DataW

eb 2

.0Many twitterers regard their tweets as disposalI tend to use Twitter as a ‘virtual water cooler’ – sharing gossip, jokes and occasional work-related information with (mainly) people I know

You could make use of clients which manage your tweets (e.g. treat like email)But you should develop your policies first, prior to exploring technologies


Web

2.0 Case Study 4: Disposable Data

Skype (or your preferred VoIP application) are growing in popularity

Issues:• Is the digital data (the call)

preserved?• What about the video and

the IM chats?Possible Responses:

• Am I bovvered?• I didn’t bother with

analogue phones, why should I worry now?


Case Study 5: Digitized TalksSeminar on Open Science given at UKOLN in Feb 2008.Video clip of opening 10 mins taken & uploaded to YouTubeIssues:

• Privacy• Quality• Benefits• Long term access

Benefits identified – now how do we seek to deploy recordings of seminars, conferences, etc. on a more systematic basis?This is work in progress – but see IWMW 2007/8 videos

Benefits identified – now how do we seek to deploy recordings of seminars, conferences, etc. on a more systematic basis?This is work in progress – but see IWMW 2007/8 videos


Case Study 6: Slideshare

What happens to your slides if Slideshare disappears?My approach:

• Master copy held on managed environment• Info on master on title slide and metadata• CC licence & download available – many copies


Case Study 7 – Video Tools Requirement:

• Provide brief video clips for colleagues running workshop

• Initial idea – use Seesmic video micro-blogging service (can include video responses)

But:• No video export function (yet)• Accessibility of responses

Approach taken:• Create video locally• Upload video to YouTube (to

allow textual comments)• Link to managed master file

Seesmic and YouTube Web sites and Twirl client are access tools; the data is managed elsewhere

Seesmic and YouTube Web sites and Twirl client are access tools; the data is managed elsewhere


Case Study 8: Social NetworksUniversity of Wales, Newport and University of Bradford have set up Ning networks for supporting their students:

• Bradford: Aimed at students during their first term at University

• Newport: Open Intended for students about to arrive at institution

What does preservation mean in this context?Answers to this question will be left as an exercise for the participants ☺

http://newstudents.newport.ac.uk/http://newstudents.newport.ac.uk/


What Do We Do For SNs?The Open University has a presence in Facebook. On 9 Sep 2008:

• 9,785 fans• 1,233 wall posts• 138 discussion

topicsIs anyone:

• Recording the history?

• Curating the data• Managing

possible risks?

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2.0


Role Of The Internet ArchiveCan we leave everything to the Internet Archive (IA)?

• Has role to play in Web 1.0

• Seems to archive some public blogs

• May not access images or other embedded content

• Still has limitations (cf. UCE/BCU)

Can’t access, e.g., Facebook pages

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2.0

IA is a 3rd party Web 2.0 serviceIA is a 3rd party Web 2.0 service


The Research Challenges

Some thoughts:• Preservation of Web sites in

known to be difficult• Additional difficulties in a

Web 2.0 world• Complexities include

technical challenges and business issues

However:• Is avoiding Web 2.0 a

realistic answer?• There may be some simple

processes which may help

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2.0


Accessibility & Preservation

The parallels:• We can’t release xxx: it breaks accessibility

guidelines; we’ll be sued• The xxx service provides benefits to many –

we’ll see what reasonable adjustments are needed to enhance access

Approaches needed:• Clarification of the purpose of the service

• Risk assessment of loss of service / record of service / record of look-and-feel

• Documented policy


ConclusionsTo conclude:

• Web 2.0 services won’t go away• Innovation in departments won’t stop• Motivated & dedicated professional can help in

preservation• But this can’t be guaranteed• Need for individual / departmental audits for

asset management strategies when outside agencies involved?

• But maybe we don’t need to preserve stuff• Need for education on when stuff may be

transient and disposable


Questions

Documents

Web Preservation in a Web 2.0 Environment · A centre of expertise in digital information management Web Preservation in a Web 2.0 Environment Brian Kelly UKOLN University of Bath