What Happens to Your Digital Footprint When You Die?

Terms of Service with Clare Duffy

Many of us have seen this happen. Someone dies IRL, but their online presence lives on. It’s estimated that millions of accounts on Facebook belong to people who have died. And many of us have so many online accounts, it’s hard to keep track of them ourselves – let alone leaving that work to loved ones after we’re gone. So, what “digital remains” are we leaving behind when we die? And how do we ensure our loved ones have the tools to manage it? Psychologist Elaine Kasket walks us through how to think about all the data that does not get buried with you.

Elaine is the author of All The Ghosts in the Machine: The Digital Afterlife of Your Personal Data.

As discussed in the episode, more guidelines on this are available on the Digital Legacy Associations’ website. And here’s how you can set up legacy contacts for your Meta, Google, and Apple accounts.

What questions do you have about the technology in your life? Email us at [email protected].

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