What Digital Legacy Are You Leaving Behind?

The thought that is beginning to permeate everyone's mind these days, including experts in the technology field, is 'what happens to my digital life when I die'?

Leading technologists are starting to consider this issue a priority because the use of the Internet and other online services have boomed in the past few years, and nobody really has a clear policy of what to do with all of this 'stuff' when someone dies, especially unexpectedly.

You can see the What Happens Online When You Die Infographic here

One of the problems when thinking about your digital death is that many websites, services, email providers and social media sites have neglected to figure it out and put in place, a standard death policy.  What they do have are very differing policies and most are still trying to 'figure it out'.  

And you're digital legacy, should you die, especially unexpectedly, is either sitting out on the Internet somewhere, with no access, living on forever, or deleted for inactivity.

The realization that many of us have so much of our business, financial and personal lives wrapped up in some website, service, bank, investment company or social media site, along with a large number of personal photos and videos -should give us reason to pause. To actually stop and think about what is going to happen to all of it, should we die without some kind of a roadmap for those we leave behind.

While some sites do have a policy about what happens to your information, profiles, bank accounts and everything else should death occur, they differ greatly, and the terms and conditions may be completely null and void once deceased.  This can cause your loved ones who want or require access a lot of grief, and even no access whatsoever.

This is the purpose of a digital legacy, or a 'digital will', detailing explicit instructions about what you would like to have done with your information.  Do you want your family to have access to all of your online transactions?  Is there something you'd rather just have deleted, such as an online dating service, or private emails?

These details can all be outlined in a 'digital will' – and either added to your existing Last Will and Testament, or Living Trust, so that when the time comes, your family can access the things that they will cherish, and want to hold onto, and your choice to delete certain items can be accomplished.

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In order to have your wishes fulfilled, you must create a 'digital will', and pick one specific person, or entity to carry out your requests, called an executor.  

Contact an attorney as an executor, or a close family member or trusted friend.  Create this will through a legal service, or even an online service, such as Ziggur– that can keep your information in a virtual vault, and perform the services you clearly state in your Will.

The process of digital death is still quite unfamiliar to most of us, but it is something that should be thought about and considered.  

Make an effort to gain an understanding of how much of your life is on the Internet, make a list – and consider what you would like to leave behind.  This can leave your loved ones with your digital legacy of which they can be proud to have, as well as find!

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