What happens to your account when you're gone?

[Albrecht Smuten]

I have a friend on DeviantArt, who hasn't logged in for about 40 weeks now and I have no other way to contact him. Not yet assuming the worst, but I'm starting to worry.

It made me think, however… "real life" friends usually get to know that you're gone, because others tell them, but what about your social media friends? I'm planning to give all my logins and passwords to my girlfriend, so she can make the "one last post".

What do you think? I believe that after the 18 years (or so) of internet, this is starting to be a serious issue…

 

[docbennett]

We have a similar problem on another thread many of us belong to....VR...Dave (Whitecluster) indicated that he was getting sicker and was going to check into hospice about 2+ months ago...we've tried to reach him without success and are growing increasingly concerned. I emailed him the other day without a reply yet. You post brought that situation home again.

 

[justmund]

All citey, foolz!

 

[justmund]

In all seriousness, it's a difficult to think about and control. You build these relationships online, often faceless or voiceless, and bam, one day the person could disappear and never been seen again. What do you do? Think the worst, the best? Perhaps just deal with each situation any way you can.

 

[Albrecht Smuten]

We have a similar problem on another thread many of us belong to....VR...Dave (Whitecluster) indicated that he was getting sicker and was going to check into hospice about 2+ months ago...we've tried to reach him without success and are growing increasingly concerned. I emailed him the other day without a reply yet. You post brought that situation home again.

A delicate topic, I know... When you see it coming, you can make a version of "goodbye" yourself. But if you're gonna be hit by a car, you can't. In case some kind of sudden death took my friend on DA, I would appreciate if his wife made a journal entry on his behalf, letting us know what happened. Now we'll never (I mean never) know.

I don't wanna disappear from the internet without a word, hence my plan (it even involves an automatic e-mail response "Sorry, Albrecht can't reply, because he's dead. Best regards, Albrecht Smuten"

All citey, foolz!

Bring it on! :box:

 

[justmund]

I actually have no idea what that means! You said it several times a while back, I assume you had been hacked, or someone else used your computer. Hence the obscure attempt at humour! What was the deal with that anyway?

 

[Albrecht Smuten]

I actually have no idea what that means! You said it several times a while back, I assume you had been hacked, or someone else used your computer. Hence the obscure attempt at humour! What was the deal with that anyway?

No, it was me, winning (so far) Sergio's fun game here: http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?2971-The-quot-All-City-quot-Battle!&highlight=city+battle
I was wondering how do you want to take my golden crown (and golden chains and golden teeth and golden signature knuckle dusters... well, you get the picture) from me with one post

 

[butterfly]

there was some media attention a while ago to this issue, particularly as applied to Facebook, and the ownership of the account and information in the event of a person's passing. I didn't pay attention to it, but it raised some interesting issues.

 

[Albrecht Smuten]

there was some media attention a while ago to this issue, particularly as applied to Facebook, and the ownership of the account and information in the event of a person's passing. I didn't pay attention to it, but it raised some interesting issues.

Could you, by any chance, dig it up?
This is yet to become an issue, the internet community is still rather young, but after another 20 - 30 years, user dying will be an everyday thing...

 

[László]

Some of us are already zombies, so no worries.

 

[Albrecht Smuten]

Some of us are already zombies, so no worries.

You never know when the guy with shotgun and chainsaw gets you...

 

[themike]

We have a similar problem on another thread many of us belong to....VR...Dave (Whitecluster) indicated that he was getting sicker and was going to check into hospice about 2+ months ago...we've tried to reach him without success and are growing increasingly concerned. I emailed him the other day without a reply yet. You post brought that situation home again.

I was just thinking about him the other day, I think I'm going to go revisit "Daves Thread" and send more mojo his way and just hope for the best.

 

[John Beef]

there was some media attention a while ago to this issue, particularly as applied to Facebook, and the ownership of the account and information in the event of a person's passing. I didn't pay attention to it, but it raised some interesting issues.

A real life friend of mine (and one heck of a talented musician) died in September, yet Scrabble on Facebook keeps telling me he played recently and I should challenge him to a new game.

 

[László]

You never know when the guy with shotgun and chainsaw gets you...

Uh-oh...

Well, you can pretty much assume that if I'm not posting here, I've been shotgunned and chainsawed.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

My girlfriend knows my passwords to things like F'book and Y'tube so I would hope she logs in and leaves a notice. If I had time to notify i would. I'd leave the Y'tube up but close or have my GF close the F'book after certain amount of time.

 

[Artist]

I had researched about it. My main concern is that this is continuously evolving data. Passwords change and you get more and more.

The answer I found is a service like this:
http://www.securesafe.com/en/your-private-securesafe.html

I am not associated to these people and there are others but this one impressed me and seems to be very complete as I believe this is becoming a serious issue nobody is planning for.

While alive
Bank level encryption place to store the increasing number passwords we have to deal with and any other sensitive information digitally (Tax documents, insurance claim details, document copies or any document/instructions). Can be accessed by you from any place, phones in case of emergency or daily use.

But when you die!
Provide access to your family or friend in case of unexpected death.
You preset the approved contact list and what exactly they will be able to see.
They will use a code to retrieve the data electronically or even via hard mail. The key is that when they initiate the process the system will warn you in multiple ways and give you a pre-set amount of time to cancel the inheritance if it is actually a fraud attempt.

Free for basic stuff but the service of about $1.50 a month seems reasonable to store most of what a normal person would need to pass on.

By having the system be your daily manager of this data, your passwords and information will always be up to date at the point your family needs it. No lawyers or wills involved. Digital Safe + Inheritance system.

I am giving this a try.