Is the internet making us stupid? A question tasked continuously in the past years. I type—press enter. A raft of answers and articles come up on the screen. Or remember a friend, search them up on Google and get access to their social networks. The digital age has changed how people remember stuff. In the eyes of many, the internet is a place to store information/memories, be reminded, and access other people memories/information. The web is used as a reminder platform to remind us, and as a consequence of this, we forget to remember for ourselves. This is referred to as ‘transitive call memory’, meaning that our information/memories are stored behind small screens instead of shelves and individual brains. There are two types of memory: individual and collective.   

Betsy Sparrow’s research on Google effect on individual memory concluded that the human brain relies on the internet for memories/information in much the same way we rely on a friend, family member or co-worker for small details. Referring to the ‘Google effect on memory’ book, a study was taken out where participants are asked to take a tour around a museum. Those who used their phones to take pictures of every object tend to remember less information than those who observed every object. The participants said they referred back to their google photos account for information and shared those memories. The Chicago School of media theory on memory backs up the case study as memory is identified as follows: 

1. The process of remembering past, thoughts and action. 
2. A recollection of remembrance. 
3. A device that data could be stored and saved on. 

The theory explains the case study in series of action. Starting from the remembering to the recollection and then to the aid that stores the past. The process shows that when users refer back to their Google accounts, they will constantly be reminded of specific events. Google has this service where it would send a notification to the user on the same day and time of the event in the following years, reminding them of a specific event. The participants would receive this notification with certain information and pictures chosen by Google to remind them of the museum, time, location, who they met and who they went with. This shows that the users have no control over when and what to remember. And whether the event was a good or bad memory, users would constantly be reminded with no rights to be forgotten. 

However, the concept of collective memory was introduced and studied by Halbwachs in 1992. The development of digital technology has influenced how we keep track of events on both individual and collective levels. Digital technology has converted collective memory into an observable phenomenon that could be tracked and measured online. For example, previous studies investigated news. Referring to ‘The Memory Remain: understanding collective memory in the digital age’ article, news, social media and pictures or selfies keep the past as a present for most people. The Arena attack, for example, has left a memory for everyone in Manchester. The case study shows how an individual memory could change to be a collective memory. Collective memory isn’t about remembering the event and who is around you; but instead, it’s about remembering everyone who got injured or even past away in that concert. Now collective memory takes place in three ways: 

Firstly, the names of people who passed away in that attack have been highlighted over the news and would always be remembered by their beloved ones, school (teachers) etc.

 Secondly, everyone who shared a picture or a selfie on that day on their social media would be reminded through their posts activity and highlights service by Google, Dropbox and other social media platforms. 

This is supported by Durkheim theory on collective memory. He argues that personal memories are recorded by the filter of social and collective memories. The theory shows how digital technology development is a tool tying us to the past and influencing or shaping our memories. 

“The internet doesn’t forget, but people do.” In conclusion, I think that digital technology has had a significant impact on memories and the process of remembering and forgetting. Today all our passwords, friend and families contact numbers and even birthdays are saved online, and we rely on this technology to remind us. 90% of the human population use technology today as a reminder and a schedule of their lives. The development of digital technology shows how the human brain, the most sensitive of organs, is under threat from the modern world.