As the amount of data being created and shared is increasing, it has given rise to the problem of ‘Digital Tartar’.

What Is ‘Digital Tartar’?

It is the process of accumulation of sensitive data in the nooks and crannies of file shares. The accumulated data clogs up the systems, leading to increased risks such as operational inefficiencies, added expenses, and damage to brand reputation.

In order to understand the impact of ‘Digital Tartar’ on businesses, it is first important to understand what gives rise to the accumulated data. Major blame lies in bad data hygiene. A prediction states that in 2020, about 1.7 MB of new information will be created every second per human being on the planet. However, 0.5% of all data is analyzed and used, increasing the risk of ‘Digital Tartar’.

Impact of ‘Digital Tartar’ On Business Wellbeing:

Excessive data build-up has major consequences for businesses.

  • Higher the amount of data an organization stores, higher is the cost spent on storing it.
  • Storing an excessive amount of sensitive data increases the inherent risk of data exposure.
  • Having large data accumulation increases the risk of loopholes, which makes the system more susceptible to cyber-attacks.
  • Data breach can result in reputational damage leading to a loss in public trust.
  • Increased data build-up leads to slower systems and decreased operational efficiency.
  • Data accumulation reduces the transparency within the organization and can lead to wrong decision-making.
  • Clearing out excessive data and ensuring that the leftover data is accurate leads to higher operational costs.

This gives rise to the need for businesses to regularly consider the type of data being collected and if it is worth storing.

How To Combat The Problem Of ‘Digital Tartar’?

  • Increasing awareness about digital hygiene and its consequences among every team inside an organization can help in creating a healthy data environment.
  • Formulating policies to collect essential data only and conducting regular clean-ups of the system can help in avoiding data build-up.
  • Businesses need to reconsider how they store the data and if the process is in compliance with GDPR regulations.
  • The organizations need to continuously evolve the processes and regulations to meet the changing cyber security requirements.
  • Undertaking proper ‘Digital Flossing’ can help in reducing the build-up of ‘Digital Tartar’. It includes steps such as documentation of the de-cluttering process, annual auditing by an external consultant, etc.

For more information on impacts of ‘Digital Tartar’ on business wellbeing, contact Centex Technologies at (254) 213 – 4740.