In digital archives, what does the concept of "fixity" refer to?

The concept of "fixity" in digital archives specifically refers to the assurance that a digital object's content remains unchanged over time. This is crucial for ensuring the integrity and authenticity of digital materials, as it allows archivists and users to trust that the data has not been altered, corrupted, or tampered with since its creation or last verification.

Fixity often involves creating checksums or other validation methods that can be used to confirm that the digital object is in the same condition as when it was first archived or last verified. This practice is vital in digital preservation because it ensures that future users can rely on the information contained within the digital object without concern for accidental or malicious changes, which could undermine the object’s value or reliability.

The incorrect answers do not align with the established concept of fixity: the assurance that digital content is completely irretrievable does not reflect the idea of maintaining a stable state; the ability to edit digital objects freely suggests that changes and modifications are encouraged rather than prevented; and methods of transferring files between systems pertain more to the logistics of data handling rather than the preservation of the integrity of the objects themselves.