What is a digital legacy and how can you manage yours?

digital legacy

A digital legacy is the information in digital format which remains about a person after they die.

It includes social media profiles, conversations which they had online on different websites or apps, their comments on the profile of another person or entity, such as a newspaper, their photos and videos, profiles on online gaming sites and streaming platforms, their blog or website if they had one, the Apps which they had downloaded, as well as music, e-books, documents created on the cloud, etc. In short, it is anything which they created or owned in the digital world.

The fact is that this ‘digital legacy’ can be edited before or after their death.

How to manage your digital legacy

The Digital Legacy Association has found that awareness of the importance of this information made by or about a person online has increased in the last few years and it is becoming more common to make plans for what will happen to the digital assets on someone’s accounts or devices after they die.

One way to handle it is by giving access to our devices and accounts to someone we trust and this way we ensure that files, photos and videos which may be of interest to others remain accessible. This person would ideally be someone also trusted by your family and who can be neutral with them. For practical purposes, and although there is no guarantee they won’t pass away before you, it would ideally be someone younger than you, or the same age. It should also be someone tech-savvy.

Social media will

If you have photos, videos or documents on the cloud, you may want to consider downloading a copy and passing it on to a person you trust with your digital legacy. You could also select photos that you want to be printed.

To make it easier for the person who you wish to handle your information, you should make a list of your accounts and the usernames and passwords for each one. You should also explain what you want done with these accounts, such as if you want them to be closed or deactivated, or whether, where possible, such as on Facebook, you would like it memorialised. This ‘social media will’ can also include digital assets which have some financial value. Don’t forget to also include the details for any online banking Apps you may use.

Accounts galore

You may not realise how far your digital legacy extends. It is likely that you have accounts on sites that you don’t use regularly and may have even forgotten about. Therefore, when you start making a list, you may need to check your bookmarks, browsing history, e-mails, placed orders, downloaded Apps and other prompts that will help to jog your memory.

There will obviously be some accounts that you will want cancelled, such as subscriptions, so there are no more charges, while others you will want to be kept going, at least temporarily, so that files and photos can be accessed and downloaded.

You should check the policies of different sites where you have accounts to help you decide how they should be handled after your death.

Separate will

You should ideally legitimise your digital legacy and maybe even include it in your existing will. It’s no good just writing it down or telling someone what you want done, as this could be agreed at the time, but later not respected by others. However, wills become public, and you don’t want everybody being able to access your details. Another reason not to put this information in your existing will and instead make a separate social media will is so that you won’t have to keep on updating your will every time you create a new account or change your password. It’s just not practical.

Safer passwords

If you’re one of thousands of people who has been using the same or similar passwords for years across your different accounts, before you pass on the information to someone you trust with your digital legacy, you may want to improve your online security by making them a bit trickier and more varied.

Your digital legacy is just one of many things you may consider when pre-planning your funeral. With Golden Leaves Funeral Plans, you can arrange your funeral in advance, pay for it at today’s prices no matter when it takes place and also relieve your family of having to deal with all the procedures and decisions following your death in a different country and a foreign language.

Golden-Leaves-Logo

www.goldenleavesinternational.comenquiries@goldenleaves.com
• Facebook:
goldenleavesspain

Author badge placeholder
Written by

Jennifer Leighfield

Jennifer Leighfield, born in Salisbury, UK; resident in Malaga, Spain since 1989. Degree in Translation and Interpreting in Spanish, French and English from Malaga University (2005), specialising in Crime, Forensic Medicine and Genetics. Published translations include three books by Richard Handscombe. Worked with Euro Weekly News since November 2006. Well-travelled throughout Spain and the rest of the world, fan of Harry Potter and most things ‘geek’.

Comments