Myspace lost all the music its users uploaded between 2003 and 2015

It's been a year since the music links on Myspace stopped working; at first the company insisted that they were working on it, but now they've admitted that all those files are lost: "As a result of a server migration project, any photos, videos, and audio files you uploaded more than three years ago may no longer be available on or from Myspace. We apologize for the inconvenience and suggest that you retain your back up copies. If you would like more information, please contact our Data Protection Officer, Dr. Jana Jentzsch at DPO@myspace.com."

Yeah, apparently they don't have a backup.

Someday, this will happen to Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, etc. Don't trust the platforms to archive your data. The Internet Archive will host anything freely distributable, for free, forever, and they have mirrors of their servers in California, Egypt and Amsterdam. They're a mission-driven nonprofit supported by philanthropists, foundations, and small-money donations (I'm an annual donor).

(via JWZ)

(Image: UNTHA)