There is a growing trend for people to leave more than just happy memories, photos and treasured mementos when they pass on.
There is now the chance to experience a digital afterlife where loved ones can leave voice and video messages that can be shared and enjoyed long after they have gone.
Here is a look at how to preserve digital memories and why you should include your online profile as part of your estate planning. There is an overview of what you might like to keep and tips on how to pass your online life onto the next generation.
Preserving your digital memories
When a loved one passed on in previous generations many families would spend time going through boxes of old photographs rekindling memories of great times that you shared with each other.
Many of us now take digital images that are shared on social media sites like Facebook and stored on the hard drive of our computer. This means that when you or a loved one passes on, you need to take steps to ensure that anything stored online or on a hard drive, doesn’t get lost at the same time.
When you are going through a list of last wishes and requests, include details of what you want to happen to your digital memories and how to access them.
You might also want to use a call recorder app on your phone to record some messages that can then be saved and replayed at any time in the future.
A simple message can be a touching reminder and a source of comfort.
Appoint a digital personal representative
You are likely to have a lot of data and information stored online and there will be some personal data that you will want to share with someone you trust.
Take the time to think about what you want to share with others when you are gone. This might be photos or documents and records that someone will need to know how to access.
It might sound slightly strange to appoint a digital personal representative in your will but it is a very practical solution to ensuring that social media pages or blogs are maintained, archived or deleted altogether when you are no longer around to take that action.
Put together a list of passwords and access details as well as instructions on what you want to keep and share for prosperity and what needs to be deleted.
Appoint someone to handle this for you in your will but keep the details separate as part of your will does become public record when probated.
Our modern life is increasingly entwined with the digital world, which is why it is a good idea to think about how you want to share this with loved ones after you are gone.
A digital afterlife should now be very much a part of your plans and is something to think about if you want all of your wishes to be carried out.
About the Author
Zara Green writes about all aspects of social media; from how to guides for newbies to using them to market your home business. Her helpful and informative articles appear on tech and lifestyle blogs.