People are increasingly relying on smartphones and the internet to store information they once memorised, raising questions about how digital technology is changing everyday memory, according to research.
From phone numbers and addresses to personal details, information that people previously kept in their minds is now often stored on digital devices and retrieved when needed.
This growing dependence on technology is associated with what researchers call digital amnesia — a tendency to forget information because people expect to find it stored on a phone, computer or online platform.
Research conducted by cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab among thousands of people in the United States and Europe examined how digital technology influences memory and the way people retain information.
The findings showed that 71 per cent of parents surveyed could not recall their children’s phone numbers from memory. Another 87 per cent could not remember their children’s school phone numbers without checking their phones.
The study also found that 53 per cent of respondents could not remember the phone numbers of people they lived with. Meanwhile, 60 per cent could recall the landline number of the home where they lived when they were 10 or 15 years old.
In addition, 51 per cent could not remember their workplace phone numbers, while nearly one-third of respondents could not recall their partners’ phone numbers without consulting a digital device.
The findings illustrate how people may remember where information is stored rather than the information itself. Someone might forget a friend’s phone number but know exactly where to find it in their contacts.
Similarly, people may not remember everything they have read online but may recall the website or application where they can retrieve it.
Researchers describe the internet as a form of external memory, allowing people to access information without having to retain every detail themselves.
Although digital tools make information easier to retrieve, reliance on them may change which details people consider necessary to remember. The findings highlight a growing question in the digital age: how can people benefit from instant access to information while continuing to exercise their own memory?
