Intergenerational justice as a framework for social media archiving

Purpose This conceptual study aims to explore the rationale of preservation institutions in archiving new types of documents, such as social media, rather than focusing on traditionally valued materials or established cultural heritage. Design/methodology/approach Recognising the need to include the perspectives of both current and future generations, this study reviews and organises various theories of intergenerational justice to determine whether they can provide a solid justification. Findings No single theory of intergenerational justice fully endorses the long-term preservation of user-generated content. However, utilitarianism can offer a compelling justification for large-scale archiving, whereas other views, including communitarianism, support selective approaches. Originality/value This study is the first to extensively apply intergenerational justice theories to the field of digital preservation, providing a foundational framework for justifying the preservation of emerging forms of digital documents, albeit to a limited extent.