Internet Archive’s Web Preservation Efforts Experience Sharp Decline in 2025

Significant Reduction in Digital Preservation

The Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, widely regarded as an essential resource for digital preservation, has experienced a dramatic decrease in its archiving activities according to recent analysis. Sources indicate the platform has been capturing substantially fewer webpage snapshots, particularly from news websites, since mid-May 2025.

Significant Reduction in Digital Preservation
Quantifying the Decline
Operational Challenges Cited
Broader Context and Challenges
Implications for Digital History

Quantifying the Decline

According to reports from Nieman Lab, the archiving decline is both sudden and substantial. Between January 1 and May 15, 2025, the Wayback Machine preserved approximately 1.2 million snapshots from 100 major news websites’ homepages. However, from May 17 to October 1, 2025, this number plummeted to just 148,628 snapshots from the same websites – representing an 87% reduction in archiving activity.

The decline appears particularly pronounced at major news organizations, with CNN’s homepage serving as a notable example. According to the report, CNN’s homepage was archived 34,524 times during the first period, but only 1,903 times in the subsequent nearly five-month period.

Operational Challenges Cited

Mark Graham, director of the Wayback Machine, acknowledged the reduction in archiving activity when speaking with Nieman Lab. Graham attributed the decline to “a breakdown in some specific archiving projects in May” that resulted in fewer archives being created for certain sites. He further indicated that some missing snapshots simply haven’t had their index structures built yet and would be added to the archive soon., according to related news

Analysts suggest that a five-month delay due to indexing issues is unusual for the organization. Graham cited “various operational reasons” including “resource allocation” as contributing factors to the delays experienced by the Internet Archive.

Broader Context and Challenges

The archiving reduction occurs against a backdrop of significant challenges for the nonprofit organization. According to reports, the Internet Archive’s 2023 expenses reached $32.7 million while revenue totaled only $23 million, creating substantial financial pressure for an organization that archives approximately 500 million webpages daily.

The Internet Archive has also faced recent operational disruptions, including a major data breach in October 2024 that took both the main site and the Wayback Machine offline for several weeks. Additionally, the organization has taken on new responsibilities, including joining a network of over 1,000 libraries tasked with archiving government documents for public view following a designation by California Senator Alex Padilla.

Implications for Digital History

The reduction in archiving activity raises concerns about the preservation of digital news content. As traditional newspaper archiving has declined in the internet age, news websites have become the primary historical record for contemporary events. The Internet Archive has served as the main institution preserving these digital records since 1996., according to market developments

According to digital preservation experts, gaps in web archiving could create significant holes in the historical record, particularly for local news organizations and digital-native publications that may not maintain their own comprehensive archives. The current situation highlights the challenges faced by nonprofit organizations tasked with preserving the ever-expanding digital landscape with limited resources.