We instruct what should happen to our physical possessions in a will – but what about our digital possessions? — dpa
As we increasingly live our lives on the Internet, and many contracts are digitalised, we have to start thinking about something we don't enjoy: death.
What happens to your social media channels, your e-mail accounts, your Netflix account, your apps, your pictures saved in the cloud after you die?
Consumer protection agencies recommend you choose a person who will be charged with taking care of your digital life after you die, and give that person power of attorney.
To do this, you have to write an authorisation by hand, signed by you, that makes it explicitly clear that it is valid after your death. The authorisation should also explain in detail what the delegated person should do with all your accounts, data and pictures.
For instance, you could write that you want your Facebook account to be deleted, or that it should be memorialised so that friends and loved ones can still leave messages there. You can send Facebook a request for these actions.
You should also leave behind instructions about what you want done with data on your computer, notebook, smartphone, tablet or on external hard drives.
All this obviously requires passwords and usernames. To make things easier for the person dealing with all your stuff, compile a list of usernames and passwords. Then make sure to keep that list on an encrypted or password protected USB stick, that is kept in a safe place.
Some online services allow users to choose a person they should contact in case of your death, who is then listed in the settings. – dpa
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