Deleting Your "Digital Estate" After Death
I really like reading about the surveys taken in Japan. Market research company Rakuten Insight conducted a survey of of Japanese aduts aged 20 to 60 about their end of life planning.
About 70% said they intend to make end of life preparations at some point, with the most common examples being "managing household goods" at almost 61%, and "managing PC or smartphone data" at just under 40%. It is surprising to me that these two were so much higher than preparing a will or funeral and grave arrangements.
I suppose no one really wants to think about their own death and that is the reason many people don't make any plans. The problem with that is, if you don't make plans, someone else who knows less about your stuff, has to handle it after you are gone.
Another question on the survey was whether they wanted to keep or delete items that are part of their "digital estate" after death. About 70% of those surveyed wanted to delete everything.
I don't have any social media accounts, like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, so I never gave any thought to this. I would like my blog to stay. What do you think? Do you want your digital estate deleted after you die? Who will take care doing that?
6 comments:
This is a deep question!
After my father died last May, I had to make those decisions. Eventually I deleted his Facebook account, for a few different reasons.
I wouldn't want my blog deleted, although eventually Google will probably shut down blogger and everything will be lost.
I think I would ask my sons to delete my Facebook and Instagram accounts, maybe leave the blog. I often get follow reminders for a friend who passed away a few years ago from Instagram. Her accounts remain, whereas another friend who passed 4 years ago is different. Her husband deleted everything she had the week after she passed. I felt kind of like she was being wiped from existence. Interesting people would think of their phone data before making funeral arrangements.
I suppose it would be good to delete Twitter (I don't have instagram or TikTok) and switch FB to the memorial page. But like you, I'd like my blog to stay. I can't count the times I've often returned to the blog of my dear blog friend Diana and her beautiful writing. I would hope now and then someone would want to revisit me. As of now, Rick is in charge should I go first!
People who have an educational blog/video site, and with that I mean those who are posting tutorials, know-hows, designs and hacks should let their accounts and posts be as they are. The internet is a WEALTH of information so why wipe it?
Like you, Pamela, I'd like my blog to stay as it is, in case someone is interesting in embroidery stitches.
I am more worried about all the 'My Page' we have created for booking hotels, sending parcels, collecting points and milage, as well as bank accounts etc.
Instead of writing everything down, maybe many people have already discussed with family members what funeral arrangements they want. Until recently, for most Japanese people, there was only one traditional way for a funeral - a good photo of you was selected by the family and then photoshopped into a black and white picture where you are wearing a formal kimono (I think my father-in-law was wearing pyjamas and had a grandchild on his lap in the photo we used, you would never know it when you look at the photo of his stern face in black and white and a silk kimono with family crests on). A monk from your sect (if you belonged to one) would read the sutras, there would be white chrysanthemums and spicy incense, the body would be cremated, the ashes kept at a relative's home for a month and then put into the family grave.
Now there are more choices of where you want your ashes to be kept or scattered, most photos are in colour and the deceased is often smiling, the flowers are more colourful, the incense might have a floral fragrance, the might be jazz music instead of sutras...
So if you want your wishes to be fulfilled, the best thing is to write them all down. It is very painful for those we leave behind if they have to argue about these arrangements.
Well. Unless I die suddenly I figure that I'll know when to delete FB. My blog can stay. Perhaps my great grands will want to see it some day. As far as my body goes. Ashes to ashes and pitch them over the mountain or in a frog pond. This body is not ME.
xx, Carol
I think I'd want everything that I purposefully put out there - like my blog and Instagram - to stay after my death. Everything else should go.
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