In today’s world, everyone leaves a digital footprint, whether they are aware of it or not. However, not everyone puts in the effort to manage and protect it.
Your digital legacy is the collection of online accounts, digital assets, and personal information you leave behind after you are no longer here. A digital legacy serves as a way to remember who you were, the stories of your life, and your impact on the world.
Securing your digital legacy involves managing your digital footprint after you have passed and preserving memories for your loved ones and your community. Having a well-organised digital footprint helps your family carry out your online wishes more effectively and can serve as a comfort to them.
Today, legacy planning has reached a whole new digital dimension. From being able to make a will online to building a complete digital personality, there are many things to consider.
In this article, we’ll delve into the different ways you can manage your online presence and safeguard your digital legacy.
Let’s begin!
1. Draw up an inventory
Begin by creating an inventory and listing all your digital assets. This includes online social media, email, banking accounts, virtual possessions such as cloud storage or gaming accounts, and subscriptions.
Carefully consider if you have anything of value, such as creative work or music, stored digitally. Next, check the terms and conditions of all your accounts to understand how you can pass them on, preserve or delete them.
After you’ve created your inventory, update it regularly to reflect any changes, additions or deletions. Having a well-maintained inventory ensures that none of your assets are missed and your digital presence is effectively handled according to your wishes.
2. Document your wishes
After you’ve drawn up your inventory, the next step is to prepare clear instructions regarding how you want your assets to be handled. Within these instructions, you’ll need to specify which accounts need to be closed, archived or transferred.
Documenting your wishes for your digital assets is an essential step to securing your legacy and making an online will is an effective way to carry out this step. In your will, you can specify exactly how you want your accounts to be handled after your passing. Once your will’s completed, it’ll become a legally binding document to ensure your wishes are respected.
Many online storage providers also offer a secure online vault to store important documents such as your wills and digital wishes. Some of these platforms are free while others may charge a fee, so you need to consider which option is best-suited for your needs.
The legal landscape around digital assets is constantly changing. For this reason, you need to stay informed about the latest legislative developments. With this knowledge, you can adapt your plan accordingly and ensure it remains legally compliant.
3. Appoint a digital executor
While documenting your wishes, you will also need to appoint an executor for your digital legacy. When you are drafting your will or setting up a trust, you will have to choose a trusted individual or organisation, i.e., a digital executor, to manage your online estate.
A digital executor is responsible for managing all your digital assets according to your wishes and ensuring they are properly distributed or deleted. You can further refine control by granting your executor exclusive access permissions to protect your privacy and uphold your wishes.
4. Construct walls and windows of privacy
Maintaining your privacy in the digital world can be challenging. You need to carefully choose what information you’d like to keep private and what you wish to contribute to your online memorialisation.
Consider implementing password protection for sensitive information, deleting private accounts and adjusting privacy settings across all platforms. You could also use a password manager to securely store all your login information. The master password can then be shared with your digital executor, so they can access your accounts when needed.
This strategic approach ensures your privacy is upheld and allows you to curate the digital narrative you wish to leave behind.
5. Share the roadmap to your digital life
Too much secrecy can lead to confusion and difficulty for your loved ones during a sensitive time. That’s why you need to share the roadmap to your digital life with those who require it.
Discuss the location of your digital asset inventory, passwords and what steps need to be carried out to fulfil your wishes with a trusted family member. Additionally, share your plans with your appointed digital executor so that they are aware of their responsibilities.
By sharing this roadmap, you can help your loved ones navigate your online estate and reduce the emotional and logistic burden on them during a difficult time. With clear communication, you can secure your digital legacy in a way that reflects your wishes and desires.
To wrap up
Protecting your digital legacy is an essential part of estate planning in today’s digital age.
By taking proactive steps to organise your digital footprint and manage your online presence and assets, you can ensure that your wishes are respected and fulfilled. Additionally, you can avoid your loved ones facing any uncertainty or legal complexities regarding your online life.
While beginning the journey of managing your digital estate can appear challenging, these tips will help you create a plan to protect your digital assets.
