But Is There Internet After We Die?

How much of your life is online? Photo credit: article-3.com

Setting a loved one’s affairs in order has become more complex now than ever, due to the pervasive role of online social media. And it’s on the verge of becoming downright abstract when we consider the digital assets so many, if not all of us, will leave behind. What is the fate of our e-mail inbox and Netflix queues? Will others be re-Tweeting us long after we’ve passed? Our digital footprint may be the last thing on our minds when making end-of-life preparations, with our tangible assets taking front stage. With more and more Baby Boomers familiarizing themselves with social media sites like Facebook, it is vital that we address the matter.

“What is the fate of our e-mail inbox and Netflix queues? Will others be re-Tweeting us long after we’ve passed?”

A recent Desert Media article discussed the nature of having digital assets, particularly in regards to accessing them for a loved one who has passed away. Karen Jones (author of “Death for Beginners”) said that when her friend passed away from pancreatic cancer, she still received painful notices and updates regarding her friend’s Facebook newsfeed. She would read the well-intentioned, but uninformed posts reading things like, “I haven’t heard from you for a while.” “It took three months for a relative to change the password and get the page locked,” says Jones.

Then there’s the myriad of privacy concerns. When should you give your passwords (let’s be honest, if you even remember all of them) to friends and family? Some family members might have kept double or “shadow” lives online, which in some cases they would prefer to remain private.

Navigating the ins-and-outs of inactive accounts can venture into slippery legal territory. Hopefully, as laws and Internet-based services pick up on the need to address the issue, accessing and handling accounts of those who have passed away will become easier. For the time being, keeping track of important passwords and making a list of friends and family who will gain access to them remains an important first step.

Read the complete Desert Sun article here.

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• What Are the Top Five Regrets of the Dying?