The ability to evoke positive memories can be a powerful thing. In the modern digital age, we have many of these at our disposal. A photograph or video might allow us to relive a particular experience – be it a festival, a family holiday, or a proposal. One of the best things about the modern internet is that it’s made it easy not only to capture these moments but also to share them with those we care about.
There are, however, a few obstacles that might stand in the way of this. Photos and videos, when they aren’t compressed, can be very large. If you take a lot of them, then you might end up having to juggle a collection of SD cards. If you’re storing and sending them via your phone, then you might have to tolerate the palpable loss of quality that comes with many compression algorithms.
Then there’s the fact that some devices will store these files in a format that another device won’t recognise, and that storing all of these images and videos might put your privacy at risk, if appropriate precautions aren’t taken.
Let’s look at how some of these challenges might be overcome.
Choosing the Right Platform for Sharing
Different image-storing platforms will have different strengths and weaknesses. A shared album might allow you to access photos from anywhere – and to contribute them. But you might have to pay extra as your collection balloons. You might, on the other hand, be content to simply share your photos on WhatsApp, or another chat service. But these apps often apply aggressive compression in order to keep memory usage low.
If you’re going to be transmitting personal photos, of course, then you’ll also need to worry about privacy, and choose services that are reputable and that make use of the right encryption techniques.
Ensuring Privacy and Security When Sharing Memories
After the UK government tried to force Apple to reveal private information, Apple decided to remove its Advanced Data Protection features, which make end-to-end encryption possible. This weakens privacy for Apple users.
It’s worth knowing whether your chosen platform offers these features, and others like it. Look for platforms that encrypt data on the client side and the server side.
It’s also a good idea to review permissions, so that you can control exactly who can see shared content. It might be that the contents of your online folder are actually viewable by anyone – be sure to check. If you’re going to send someone a link to a photo, then try to ensure that the link in question is time-limited.
Handling Large Files: Photos, Videos and Scanned Keepsakes
Sometimes, you’ll need to store and access large files. If you want to keep your dependence on physical drives low, then cloud storage can provide an excellent solution. It will synchronise large files automatically, and ensure convenient access from everywhere. Longer video files can, of course, be split into chunks, so that they can be easily uploaded and downloaded.
Making Sharing Enjoyable and Inclusive for Everyone in the Family
If your file system is not appropriately organised, then you might find it extremely difficult to use. Make things simple for family members who aren’t tech-savvy, and try to automate wherever possible. Come up with a folder structure that makes sense, and see whether you can automatically apply tags to files of a certain kind.
Ideally, your chosen file-sharing service should be usable on a range of different devices. It might also remind users to participate, perhaps by bringing up old memories when an anniversary approaches.
