Meta has announced that live broadcasts on Facebook will now only be saved for 30 days. After that, they’ll be deleted from FB’s servers. What’s driving this decision? The amount of data created via posts, photos and videos on the largest social media platforms will be immense. Are we running out of storage space? The general consensus is that we’re not running out of space despite the huge amount of data created every day. But servers have to be built and huge amounts of energy expended to keep them running and keep them cool.
Some companies like Microsoft (US) and Highlander (China) have tested underwater data centres, which have delivered quite a few benefits. Being underwater means there’s a lowered cost of cooling. Also it means servers can be located closer to users. Advances in data compression, quantum computing and innovations like underwater data centres helps keep stuff in check, but the question is whether this innovation can keep up with the need for storage space, given the huge amount of data being produced every day.
Meta’s decision will save on storage costs, and perhaps it’s a decision made on the basis of what percentage of users watch a broadcast when it’s no longer live. Will YouTube follow?
