What is stale content?

Stale content is files, documents, or other data within an organization's digital environment that are no longer actively used, relevant, or continuously updated over time.

It is also known as old data and sometimes even referred to as digital rot by IT professionals. 

Although this content may still reside in storage systems such as SharePoint, OneDrive, or file servers, it is considered outdated or unnecessary for current operations, and only uses precious digital storage space which ultimately leads to lost resources. 

Stale content can accumulate in collaboration platforms, leading to cluttered environments and inefficiency.  

To avoid this you need to implement policies or tools to identify and manage stale content to maintain a streamlined, secure, and efficient digital workspace. 

While not as directly correlated as the impact on storage costs and generative AI, security risks are also potential.  

Outdated files may have old or unnecessary permissions, exposing sensitive information to unauthorized users. Sensitive data could also be overlooked during compliance audits, increasing the risk of data breaches.  

Furthermore, forgotten or unmonitored storage locations contribute to “shadow IT” risks, while retaining excessive data broadens an organization’s attack surface, making it harder to secure. 

The arrival of large language models (LLM) such as ChatGPT and, more recently, Microsoft Copilot, has made taking control and dealing with stale content even more important. It is because stale content doesn’t only result in higher storage costs but the accumulated outdated information will result in useless output from LLMs

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