What Is Digital Graveyard?

Suddenly we have digital graveyard. What is this digital graveyard? This is the new age ethereal storehouse of all information of all who have inputted their personal data in the internet. I am not an IT expert but I do have all my personal data stored in the internet. Unless we have deleted the data, they will forever be floating or “buried” in this digital graveyard when we are no longer here. Maybe one day some experts may find a solution to auto delete all the data of the deceased. This would be in the realm of auto digital cremation!

I have visited so many sites and forums over the years that I have lost count of them. As years passed by, I am sure we all have our favorite sites, forums and chat rooms. The others we have forgotten, even the usernames we used, and not to mention the passwords. I suppose these public sites and forums are of no significance whether we are active or not. Even when we die, they would not miss us.

The digital graveyard belongs to the digital deaths. I mean, those who have passed away, leaving all the data in the internet, their digital legacies. We may group them broadly into two categories. One comprises of the non-financial on-line activities such as personal blogs, portfolios of music, movies, and photos, and social sites like Facebook. The other is the financial category which has access into bank accounts; Paypal and Amazon accounts; and other investment portfolios such as stocks and share, unit trusts, and gold trading account.

If all these information are only known by this single person alone, then on his demise, many problems may arise. To prevent future problems, all the important information including the relevant usernames and passwords should be recorded on paper and kept in a safe place where some trusted one can have access when the person dies. It is of utmost importance that the vital information be updated periodically should there be any changes. This is also to prevent cyber troopers from “digging” your digital grave.

I don’t know whether this is legal in your respective countries, for allowing a third party to operate your on-line financial/investment accounts by using your username and password. For me I have no qualms interchanging with my wife’s on-line financial activities. In the event of my death or hers, there is not a problem transferring funds to the other party’s account. As a further safeguard, I have all my vital information written down, and have ensured that someone I trust know where I keep them. I know of many cases, whereby funds from the accounts of the deceased were promptly transferred to designated inheritors, without any problem.

There is yet another problem for people like me, receiving income from internet activities like from Google Adsense, through my personal blogs, websites, and in this case Hubpages. The question is whether Google allows a change of name of the recipient, and whether Hubpages allows another person nominated by the Hubber to take over the existing domain. These two areas are worth investigating. Perhaps Google Adsense and Hubpages should come up with their policy statements on this issue.

If proper steps are taken by the person to ensure a third party is entrusted with the vital information, then on the demise of the person, it would be easy to transfer the financial assets to the chosen inheritor or inheritors, without even having to wait for the will to be effected. I don’t know whether this sort of “arrangement” is legal in your location. So you should not just follow my suggestion, but need to check with your country’s legal requirements. Be that as it may, it will be prudent on our part to prepare for a proper digital burial in due course.

May you live a long life!

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