London, 12th July 2016: A third of Brits say that their digital photos and videos are more important to them than their car, according to new research.

In addition, almost half of respondents consider digital memories to be more important than a smartphone, and 40% value them more than their credit card, wallet, or laptop.

This may not seem as surprising when you consider that two thirds of UK adults said they rely on footage and pictures of major moments such as holidays, weddings and children’s birthdays more than their actual memory of the event.

Yet a fifth never back up videos or photos, meaning if a device fails or is stolen they could lose them forever.

Commissioned by mobile and antimalware experts BullGuard, the survey of 2,000 UK adults looked at their habits when it comes to backing up data.

“The study shows just how much we depend on pictures and videos to ensure we remember our major life moments,” said Paul Lipman, CEO at BullGuard.

“Thanks to the improvements in digital technology such as smartphones, it’s easier than ever to document these important memories.

“However, if something was to happen to the device they are stored on and the photos and videos weren’t backed up, we may never get to see them again.”

On average, Brits have 1,937 photos and 84 videos each stored on their computers and other devices, and they will take 35 pictures and 13 videos during a typical month.

Over half of those surveyed are concerned they will lose a photo or video footage in the future, while 30 per cent have already suffered the loss of a precious memory.

In 23 per cent of cases this happened due to a lost or misplaced device.

A hardware failure (41 per cent), deleted by accident (25 per cent) and theft (12 per cent) were also common causes for loss.

Despite this, BullGuard’s survey showed that almost a third ‘don’t think about’ backing up digital photos and videos, and 33% just don’t get around to it.

A quarter will back up these files just once a month, while 15 per cent do it only once a year.

And interestingly, while 55 per cent now use cloud storage services, just 13 per cent completely trust them to keep their data safe.

“Backing up any form of data is a laborious task that is often forgotten or put off in our busy day-to-day lives,” Lipman continued.

“But when it comes to things like digital photos and videos, losing memories of treasured times that can be difficult or impossible to replace really hits home.”

“It’s a timely reminder of the fact that no matter how busy we are, it is always a good idea to find a bit of time to safeguard our most treasured possessions.”

Most photographed precious memories:

Birthdays 56%
Vacations 55%
Weddings 46%
Your child/children in general 37%
Your child/children performing (e.g. in a play) 34%
Friends/family taking part in sporting events 24%
Watching your favourite band perform 18%
Musical performances (of your friends, family, yourself) 15%
Watching a football match 9%


ENDS

More information:

Press Contact
Michelle Cross
The PR Room Ltd
Tel: +44 (0) 845 094 2902

Email: michelle.cross@theprroom.co.uk


About BullGuard
BullGuard is a fast growing antimalware and mobile security brand. Its award-winning product portfolio includes internet security solutions, mobile security, 24/7 identity protection, and social media protection for both home and small business users, including BullGuard Premium Protection - a unique suite that goes beyond the PC to safeguard personal and financial information by continually monitoring the web, social networks, as well as the dark web for stolen and compromised data sources. BullGuard is also a pioneer in Internet of Things and connected device security for consumers, releasing the world’s first vulnerability checker and actively researching and advising on issues surrounding IoT security.

For more information visit BullGuard.