BRITS have been warned to prepare a “digital plan” so loved ones can access their online accounts after they die.
Everything from precious photo memories to important emails are stored online nowadays but many are unprepared for their “digital death”.
Three-quarters of people have no plan for what to do with their digital assets after they have passed away, according to a Which? poll.
It means there’s a huge risk of emails, photos and social media accounts being locked up and inaccessible to loved ones.
Without a digital legacy plan sorted before death, families can find it extremely difficult to gain access to accounts.
In the case of Microsoft, for example, a court order is required to access the deceased’s emails and OneDrive storage.
Only one in five respondents had left instructions on how to access their accounts – and only three per cent had included provisions in their will.
Living family members could also be missing out on money from a dead relative who was an influencer or had a substantial following online.
Which? said what happens to that money when they die is a grey area currently.
The watchdog is urging people to share account details with loved ones before they die and consider including a letter of wishes.
It’s also calling for the overall process for arranging digital legacies to be made much easier.
There are currently no legal rules for how digital assets are dealt with when you die.
“Our latest research throws into sharp relief the lack of planning the vast majority of people have done for what happens to their digital assets when they die,” said Harry Rose, Which? magazine editor.
“Whether it’s handing over sentimental assets such as photos, or simply enabling a loved one to close down your social media accounts, we strongly advise consumers to put a plan in place.
“Which? is also calling for the government and tech companies to make the process of handing over digital assets much easier so that it is much clearer what people need to do, and to help ease the pressure during some of the most stressful times of their lives.”
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor
Each site has different rules and policies, hence why Which? is urging people to prepare before they pass away.
Some sites and platforms will deactivate your account after so many years of inactivity.
Google, for example, will delete your account and all data after two years of inactivity.
Others like Facebook allow family to transform your profile into a memorial page, so people can still look at photos and write comments for things like birthdays.
One of the easiest changes iPhone users can do right now is set up a Legacy Contact.
This will provide the person you choose with a unique access key, which along with a death certificate, allows them to request access to things like photos and documents stored on your Apple account, such as iCloud.
