As more and more of our lives take place online, it is understandable that many of us leave digital assets behind when we die. However, few of us have given much thought to what happens to those digital artifacts once we are gone.
Digital estate management is the process by which you ensure that your digital assets are protected and accessible after your death. In this Befree blog post we’ll explain why it’s important to be familiar with this concept and what are the key points to keep in mind.
A brand new problem
We’ve all obviously been concerned about what happens on the Internet while we’re on it. We have enough problems and tricky issues to manage while surfing the net. However, the range of matters to deal with does not end when we pass away. Far from it.
A survey published by Kaspersky and whose results we have been able to read in Silicon.es exposes shocking data. It turns out that 30% of Spaniards questioned have never considered what will happen to their digital footprint once their lives are over. In fact, nearly a fifth of them (17%) mistakenly believe that their social media accounts will be automatically deleted when the fateful moment arrives.
Why is it important to care about digital legacy management?
Digital asset management is the process by which digital assets are identified, organized and protected. Although the concept of digital asset management may seem new, it has been around for a long time. In fact, the first digital asset management systems were introduced as web content management systems in the 1990s. Since the Internet has become such an important part of our lives, digital asset management has expanded to include the management of all the digital artifacts that people leave behind when they die.
The most important part of digital asset management is that it is proactive. By planning ahead and organizing your digital assets, you can ensure that they are protected and accessible after your death. While there is no way to know for sure, it is very likely that many of your digital assets will be inaccessible for years to come. In fact, according to a report published in the Harvard Law Review, it is estimated that 25% of all Internet traffic is related to postmortem activity.
This means that when you pass away, there is a significant chance that your digital assets will be accessed. Unfortunately, it is likely that those accessing your digital assets will not be doing so with your best interests in mind. This can include identity thieves and people who want to use your digital assets to spread misinformation about you. Digital asset management can help avoid these problems by ensuring that your digital artifacts are protected and accessible.
How to deal with digital legacy management
The first step in managing your digital assets is to identify the digital assets you want to protect. When thinking about the digital assets you’d like to manage, think about everything you might encounter online. From the websites you visit to your social media accounts, there is likely to be a digital artifact left behind. This can include everything from your email inbox to your online banking information.
To do this you can create a document with the login information or use a digital asset management system that allows you to create a digital will. Once you have a list of all the digital assets you would like to protect, you can start taking action. This may include setting up social media privacy settings, changing your login information, and creating an online will.
