Digital Traces and Modern Intimacy In the 21st century, the newlywed experience is mediated by digital technologies. Couples use apps for budgeting, calendar sharing, and home management; they document their lives through photos and videos; they negotiate privacy settings and online personas. Digital artifacts—messages, images, streaming content, cloud backups, and filenames—become enduring traces of new family life. These artifacts can preserve memories, aid practical coordination, and at times create friction (e.g., disagreements over what to share publicly).