More online digital companies are providing users the ability to control what happens to their accounts after death.

For example, Facebook now allows you to name a “legacy contact” to manage your Facebook page after your death.  A legacy contact can write a post to display at the top of your profile page, change your profile picture, and respond to new friend requests on your behalf after your death.  To name a legacy contact in Facebook go to Settings, choose Security and then Legacy Contact at the bottom of the page.  If you don’t name a legacy contact then Facebook will simply freeze your account at death and leave pictures and posts at the privacy settings you determined.  If you name a digital heir in a legal will then Facebook will designate that person.  

Google allows you to choose what you want to do with your digital Google accounts when you die or no longer use your accounts.  For example, you can have your data deleted after three, six, nine or 12 months of inactivity, or you can select trusted contacts called “Inactive Account Managers” to receive data from your Gmail account or other Google services like Youtube.  Before Google takes any action, they first warn the Inactive Account Manager by sending a text message to the person’s cellphone and an email to the secondary address you’ve provided.  You can nominate an Inactive Account Manager on your Google Account settings page.

You should name an individual to have access and authority over your digital accounts after your death in your will.  If your will does not contain a specific provision related to digital assets you should update your will to include such a provision.  Your loved ones will be thankful you did.