Death and the Internet: what happens to your data when you die?

We may not yet live in a metaverse, but our lives are already increasingly online. From priceless memories captured in photos backed up to the cloud, to love letters sent on e-mail, our lives are memorialised by markers that are increasingly digital. And it’s not just items of emotional significance — many of us now own libraries of films, games, or books that are entirely digital.

This digital existence begs a simple question - after we’re gone, what happens to all our stuff? The emails, the pictures, the books and games and films? The answer, unfortunately, is not so simple.

In this video, we take a look at how some of the most widely used services deal with this issue, and what you can perhaps do to make the transition a little easier.

Also Read: How phones get hacked (and how you can stay safe)

Unfortunately, none of these methods will help you pass on purchases like games, films, or books. This is because when you ‘buy’ a game or film on an online store, you’re actually buying a license to access that content whenever you want. This license cannot be transferred, so you can’t pass on any digital purchases.

Perhaps the easiest way to pass on your information is to just share the login information with a trusted loved one. You can do so by leaving a document that has all your passwords, or sharing access to a password manager which has stored details of all your logins.

DISCLAIMER: Views expressed in this video are personal and do not represent the position of any organisation or firm that the interviewee may be affiliated with.

The content of this video is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter and does not constitute legal advice. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.