Your digital footprint (part II) – some further comments on ‘stayin’ alive’**

Last week’s post considered 6 of the key areas we suggest be captured on any checklist relating to a person’s digital footprint.

As promised, this week’s post lists a further 7 areas to consider, namely:

1. Inventory of all electronic devices (eg smart phones, tablet, laptops, computers, reading devices, watches, fitness bands, headphones, dvds, hard drives, USB sticks, digital cameras etc)
2. Review all apps on smart phones and tablets
3. Digital/virtual life games (eg Second Life, Kaneva, Virtual Life, School of Dragons, Twinity etc)
4. Online shopping (including payment gateways, buy/sell/swap services, ebay, Craiglist etc)
5. Online interactive gaming
6. Online gambling accounts (including Lotto, TAB, casino style games)
7. Online memberships (including discussion groups, home delivery, associations, clubs, libraries, professional associations, hobby groups, frequent usage/loyalty/rewards programs, work or student alumni associations, dating and introduction services)

** For the trainspotters, the title of today's post is riffed from the Bee Gees song 'Stayin’ alive’.

View here:

Your digital footprint (part I) – a bit like stay(ing) alive**

A previous post has considered the key issues in relation to digital assets on death.

View also provides free access to a template memo of directions that has a section on digital assets.

One of the easiest ways to ensure a person’s digital footprint is identified and arguably the best way to achieve this is by using a checklist.

Where relevant the checklist should confirm contact details, user names, passwords, access codes, answers to security questions, log in pins, member numbers and payment arrangements.

Set out below are 6 of the areas we suggest be captured on any checklist – next week’s post will list a further 7.

In summary:

1. Social media (including Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, Google hang out, Tumblr, Yammer)
2. Digital platforms (including Skype, YouTube, App Stores, blogs, online music and movie streaming, education and information services [eg TED, Udemy, podcasting, books], news feeds, magazines, software providers, personal websites, domain names)
3. Online storage (including documents, personal information, photos, videos, personal health and fitness, dictation, blogs, data storage, diaries, journals, Moleskins, Evernote, back up storage services, Dropbox)
4. Digital financial assets (rewards points, prepaid services, Bitcoin etc)
5. Email accounts (including work, gmail, Hotmail, Bigpond, personal), including any automated responses and mail lists subscribed to
6. Instant messaging and SMS services

As usual, please make contact if you would like access to any of the content mentioned in this post.

** For the trainspotters, the title of today's post is riffed from Hamilton and the song 'Stay alive’.

Listen here:

Digital assets on death

The virtually limitless ability to create digital content has seen an increasing amount of media attention focused on ownership of content, particularly in the event of death.

In most jurisdictions, government legislation does not separately deal with digital assets, and therefore, the same rules that apply to physical assets will generally apply.

Unfortunately, many of the rules in this area lack this sophistication required to deal with digital platforms that are normally either hosted outside Australia, or alternatively, perhaps outside any discrete jurisdiction on the basis that they are cloud based.

While most digital platforms do offer deactivation mechanisms or automatic closure due to inactivity (similar to the much publicised approach taken by Google), these features do not necessarily of themselves assist in relation to ownership of the data.

Ultimately therefore, digital assets should be treated in the same way as any other asset, and to the extent that they are of significant emotive or financial value, dealt with in the last will of the owner.

Alternatively, digital assets (including passwords) should at least be communicated via documents such as letter of wishes or memorandum of directions (click here for a template memorandum of directions on the View Legal site - via the 'learn' and then 'resources' tabs).

Some of the specific information that should be documented includes a listing of every digital platform utilised, account, user name and passwords for each platform, security question answers, and even directions as to post death activity and ultimate closure of the various accounts.

Until next week.

Image Credit: TheRealMichaelMoore via Flickr