Plan to manage your social media accounts – even after you die

“There are stories of personal data being stolen from people’s pages after they have died – or of people breaking into accounts. This is not just an issue for those facing the end of their lives; everyone needs to consider what might happen to their accounts if they are suddenly no longer here,”

Palliative Care Australia (PCA) has developed a Guide to a Social Media Afterlife that explains how to manage online and social accounts to ensure their preservation, and that data is memorialised or deactivated.

PCA CEO Liz Callaghan said managing social media accounts when dying, or after death by family members, was a new area. The guide encouraged all Australians to consider the future of their social media accounts and ensure their online self is protected or memorialised.

“There are stories of personal data being stolen from people’s pages after they have died – or of people breaking into accounts. This is not just an issue for those facing the end of their lives; everyone needs to consider what might happen to their accounts if they are suddenly no longer here,” she said.

“Australians avoid death – they don’t like to talk about it, they don’t like to think about it – but death is a normal part of life and with the benefit of technology like social media you can communicate with friends and family from great distances, and you or your family can even plan to manage or close accounts at the time of your choosing.

“Some websites will send mail to friends and family after you have died, others will continue to post to your Facebook accounts. There are a range of weird and wonderful elements you can bring to a social media account. But making sure you are protected is the most important.

Deputy Public Trustee Doug Gillespie said the growth and diversity of social media was a new area for executors which called for the setting of procedures and clarification of legal aspects…read more

From ehsopice