What are your digital assets in your life? More than ever, we are leaving behind a digital footprint - and whether it is in images, passwords, digital notes, different accounts, it’s important to manage it – and understand what will happen to it if something happened to us.  Some social media platforms and online software programs have extensive ‘Terms and Conditions’ but the reality is that the majority of the population doesn’t read them.

Be honest…

Have you ever read the entire iTunes (Apple ID) Terms and Conditions (which amounts to 54 pages)? What is your general approach to long and lengthy ‘Terms and Conditions’ for legal online agreements? Do you read everything, or do you just quickly tick the box? I’m not advocating that ‘terms and conditions’ literature becomes your new hobby but it’s important to think about exactly what you are signing away your rights to, every time you join a new website community.

In some cultures, images of the deceased in any form is considered taboo, but what happens when they are online? Are they there forever? And what steps can you take to protect the legacy you leave behind?

Digital Executors

In future, there will be jobs just for ‘Digital Executors’ that track down all the loose threads and close accounts.

This conversation was recently started in one of the Facebook groups that I belong to about one of the members who had a client pass away. There was great discussion about ‘What are your digital assets and how do you go about closing them down?’

I have now started to keep a better record of all my accounts (and passwords) with a particular piece of software (with then only that one password and account details accessible to my next of kin and beneficiaries). This information will also be updated as part of my will.

What have I really agreed to?

Recently, I commented as an expert for the Age Newspaper on ‘Digital Assets’ mainly about consumers and their digital habits. I now talk to my clients about all the things that they sign up for (including iTunes), Kindle eBooks, software and even mobiles, to think about what they are signing up for and are they comfortable with the final outcome should anything happen to them.

Keeping track of all your digital assets can be a challenge, but there are several options available to help you keep track, rather than multiple pieces of paper.

Social Media and closing accounts after someone has passed away…

With Facebook, there are several different ways that accounts can be closed down after someone has passed away. They will allow the first person to contact them and this can be anybody (which includes individuals who are not related to the individual or the executor of the will) with evidence of the death in the form of an obituary to delete it or convert it into a memorial site on completion of a form available. Facebook calls this ‘Memorialising Accounts’. It is important to note that Facebook does not allow anyone to log into a memorialised account. I had a close friend last year lose their son and his account became a memorial account where friends and family members could share their stories and grief.

Google decided to create ‘InActive Account Manager’ to start dealing with the growing need of what to do for a person/s ‘digital afterlife’. This article released by Google, early last year explains the concept and some instructions on how to set this up.

PayPal is the most used internet payment and banking service. There are no provisions for the death of account holders. Under their rules, if an account is not accessed for three years, it is closed down.

Further information:

• Facebook, how to create a memorial Facebook account
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Google (and all the associated programs)
• Yahoo
• Paypal

Online Tools to help with your ‘Digital Footprint’

There are a few companies out there that are starting to specialise in dealing with digital assets (so that they are all in the one place).  Some of these include: SecureSafe, DeathSwitch and PasswordBox.

Set up a digital asset register (i.e., all the things you have purchased online which includes music, eBooks and movies) and the name of the person who will manage these assets (Digital Executor). Keeping in mind that when you agree to the ‘Terms and Conditions’ you cannot currently transfer any of these to another individual (even after someone is deceased).  This is a must-read article about 'Digital Asset Planning’

Want to keep records of your digital assets? Here is a template from the ‘Digital Afterlife’ website to help.

Connect with Megan Iemma via her business, TechCoachHQ and on Instagram.