Last week I ran a Twitter poll to find out what people understand about Digital Legacy. The choices were simple, falling into either “not a clue” or “understood and sorted”, with the clear winner being the not a clue camp. If anything, I was surprised by the 38.5% of respondents who have their Digital Legacy sorted and am guessing if the poll was run on a wider scale this percentage would be less.

There is a special mention to the respondents who argued for an “understood but neglected” option, after reading this let me know if it is a little less neglected.

I am interested in Digital Legacy as part of Advance Care Planning, and keen to learn more about this emerging element of planning ahead. The aim of this blog is to raise the awareness of Digital Legacy as part of Advance Care Planning and to share resources available to help make a Digital Legacy.

What is a Digital Legacy?

A Digital Legacy is the way we think about our on-line accounts and assets and what happens to them after we die.

What is included in a Digital Legacy?

A Digital Legacy could consider how any of the following are managed after you die:

· Social media accounts ( Facebook , Instagram and LinkedIn etc.)

· Music storage

· Photo storage

· Email accounts

· Bank or investment accounts

· Utility accounts

· Cloud storage accounts

· Customer accounts on sites e.g. Amazon or eBay and PayPal

· Streaming services

· Website domains, podcast platforms and blogs and blogs

· Cryptocurrency

How many of these accounts do you have and have you thought about planning ahead for any of these accounts?

What I have learned about Digital Legacy

Despite advocating for Advance Care Planning, and including Digital Legacy as part of the process, I have felt unsure of what small steps I could take to begin. As part of the Conversations About Advance Care Planning Podcast series I interviewed James Norris, founder of the Digital Legacy Association. The episode will be released on 7.2.22, but ahead of that I wanted to share what I have learned from talking to James and the steps I have taken.

Like any task, it feels daunting when you don’t know where to start, so breaking it down in to chunks has made the process easier. Talking to James helped me to understand:

· Digital Assets can be of sentimental or financial worth.

· Different platforms have different policies; you need to check the policy for Twitter/Facebook/Instagram separately and as appropriate to you.

· Accounts can be memorialised or continue running.

· If an account is to continue running it is important to allocate funds to maintain web hosting and a person to manage the account

· Some platforms allow you to download and keep information.

How to take the next step in planning a Digital Legacy

The first step in planning a Digital Legacy is to start with making a list of the accounts you hold and the passwords for each. After this step, think about the contents of your accounts and how you would like them managed, look at the different policies available, consider who would be your Digital Executor and, finally, formalise you wishes.

What help is available to make a Digital Legacy?

The Digital Legacy Association is a fabulous website providing information, training and resources. The website has resource including how to make a Social Media Will

There is information on a Digital Asset & Digital End of Life Framework for professionals:

You will also find out how to manage a blog or website.

“If you own a website or a blog it is important that you state what you would like to happen to it when you die. Many of us invest a lot of time and energy into our website and blogs. These may be for both business and personal reasons”

— https://digitallegacyassociation.org/website-guide/

There is more on the site than I can do justice to here and I recommend checking it out to see the sections relevant to you.

What I have started for my Digital Legacy

A section I gravitated to on the Digital Legacy site was the Twitter guide. Twitter has been a valuable business and networking tool for me; I value both the interactions made and information shared as part of this network; it is important to me that these can be kept. I have learned I can download historic Tweets from the Twitter data page, but at the moment Twitter doesn’t provide tools to transfer my account.

One action I have taken already is a decision regarding my website . I would like the website to remain live and have given the relevant login information to a person I trust to manage the site, I now need to ensure they have funds available to pay for ongoing hosting in my will too. I have spoken to this person and am happy if they later donate my website to a relevant third party. What matters most to me is the information I have built up remains as a resource.

What next?

I am formalising my plans on the MyWishes site, this is another great tool and include support in making a Digital Legacy as part of the suite of information for Advance Care Planning.

#WhatOneThing?

I feel a sense of relief having taken the first steps in sorting out my Digital Legacy, and by breaking it down the process has become manageable. Thinking of your Digital Legacy, I leave you with the question I ask every guest on the podcast, what one thing will you do?

Digital Legacy in action

When I started this blog I had my ending, but that changed yesterday (26.1.22) with the death of Clair Fisher, Dying Well UK. Clair advocated for the wellbeing benefits that planning ahead can bring when living with a terminal diagnosis, and it was my great honour to interview Clair in December 2021. Returning to a Digital Legacy, Clair planned her goodbye message as well as the management of her website. Clair even thought ahead to include details of her funeral in her final blog. Clair ensured her retirement project changed the way people thought about living well while dying, and, even in her death, Clair continues to provide such an education and inspiration. Thank you, Clair.