Following someone’s death the digital information that is available about them online is known as their digital legacy. This can include websites, blog listings about the person, their social media profiles, photos, videos, gaming profiles and other interactions they have online.
Ensuring that people can protect and pass on their digital legacy is an increasingly important issue. With the growing presence of social media and other online platforms in our daily lives you may want to consider putting plans in place to manage your accounts after your death.
Maggie Fay, Practice Educator at LOROS Hospice said: “Digital legacies are incredibly important to people that have an online presence. Aside from the practical steps we take regarding our finances, family members and belongings, we need to start thinking about our lives online.
“Most people now use some form of social media, so for example, who do you want to look after your Facebook account when you die? Do you want it memorialised or deleted altogether? Is your blog going to be passed on to someone close to you, or taken down? If you have online subscriptions, who can access them so they can be cancelled?
“The lists of our online interactions are endless, we also have our mobile phones, smart watches and tablet devices to consider. But, there are lots of easy practical steps that can be taken with our digital legacies.”
During Dying Matters Week which runs from 14th to 20th of May, LOROS Hospice will be holding ‘Dying to Talk’ sessions which will offer advice on where you can go to find out how to manage your digital legacy and to talk about death and end of life wishes. The drop-in Dying to Talk sessions are free – Tuesday 15th - Friday 18th May 10am – 3pm - Tuesday 15th May - Outside Specsavers in Oakham - Wednesday 16th May - At the LOROS Pullman Road shop in Wigston - Thursday 17th May - Market Square in Hinckley - Friday 18th May - Humberstone Gate in Leicester City Centre A free, reusable, goody bag will be given to the first 50 people that drop-in to our Dying to Talk sessions each day.
