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Evolving Media

Chronicles

Securing Your Digital Legacy

Evolving Media CHRONICLES
By Jeff Poissant

Securing Your Digital Legacy:
What You Need to Know to Safeguard Your
Online Presence After You’re Gone

In today’s ever-immersive and entwined digital age, planning for the future and making provisions for your digital assets is imperative. Make a plan for managing and consider all aspects of your life, including your digital assets, online accounts, and digital footprint after passing. Here are some compelling steps to consider when preparing for the closure of digital assets upon your demise:

  1. Create an inventory of your digital assets:
    List all your digital accounts, including social media, email, online banking, investment accounts, and any other online services you use. Include login credentials, account numbers, and any other relevant information.

  2. Designate a digital executor:
    Just like you would designate an executor for your physical assets in your will, consider naming a digital executor responsible for managing your digital assets after your passing. This person should be someone you trust and who is comfortable with technology.

  3. Include digital assets in your estate plan:
    Work with your attorney to update your estate plan and legal will to include provisions for your digital assets. You can create a separate document outlining your wishes for your digital assets or use an online service specializing in digital estate planning.

  4. Understand the policies of each platform:
    Different online platforms have different policies regarding what happens to an account when the user passes away. Some may require specific documentation or legal processes to grant access to the account or close it down. Understanding these policies will help your digital executor navigate the process more effectively.

Please ensure you list your usernames and passwords
for each of your digital life assets.

For example, Facebook states, “To help us remove your loved one’s account from Facebook, we’ll need you to provide documentation to confirm you’re an immediate family member or executor of the account holder.

Facebook continues to state that the fastest way for us to process your request is for you to provide a scan or photo of your loved one’s death certificate.

If you don’t have your loved one’s death certificate, you’ll need to provide proof of authority and proof that your loved one has passed away. Please see the documents that we accept below.

Submit one document to provide proof of authority:

  • Power of attorney.
  • Birth certificate (in cases where the deceased is a minor).
  • Your Last Will and Testament
  • Estate letter.


Submit one document to provide proof that your loved one has passed away:

  • Obituary.
  • Memorial card.

Note: The information on the documentation you provide must match your loved one’s account information. When submitting documentation, please cover up any personal information we don’t need to fulfill your request (for example, Social Security number).

Once you have the required documentation, please send a request to Facebook.
Learn more about what happens when an account is deleted.

  1. Consider using a password manager:
    Using a password manager can make it easier for your digital executor to access your accounts after your passing. Store the master password and any necessary instructions in a secure location that your digital executor can access.

  2. Communicate your wishes:
    Communicate your wishes regarding your digital assets to your loved ones and your digital executor. Let them know where they can find the information they need to fulfill your desires.

By taking proactive measures to prepare for managing your digital assets after your passing, you can ensure that your executor manages your online accounts and digital presence according to your desires. Safeguarding your digital legacy is integral to comprehensive estate planning in today’s digital landscape.

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