The question of what happens to a person’s digital property after death is a hot topic these days. Many online service providers are currently grappling with this issue, including Facebook, Google, Yahoo, and the list goes on.
The problem is that most of the terms of service governing our digital property do not allow anyone other than the user (the person who created the account) to access the digital property. Eve
n if a family member or friend is aware of the user’s password or security question answers, logging into the users account could have some serious consequences. The family member or friend could be in violation of the terms of service, state law and federal law.
Lawmakers across the country have begun considering these issues but change and clarity will likely take time. More immediate results are coming from the service providers themselves.
Google recently introduced its “Interactive Account Manager” allowing users to specify what should happen to their data after death. It also allows users to inactivate their accounts for an extended period of time (i.e., after three, six, nine or 12 months) and provide different directions for different products. For example, you could delete your videos but maintain your photos on Picasa. The Account Manager can be found under your Google account settings page.
Hopefully more online service providers will roll out similar settings. The next hurdle becomes informing consumers about their options and the consumer following through.
