Religion and Ethics Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Hope on December 04, 2015, 10:16:57 AM
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Following on from my thread on Funeral costs, and mirroring BBC Breakfast's series on 'The End of Life' this week, I thought I'd start a thread on people's digital legacies. It seems that the law is very uncertain over what digital material belongs to the respective social media platform and what to the person who has died.
For instance, what would happen here if one of the members was to die? If I died, would my son-in-law be able to close my account (I am permanently signed in and he knows where to find my password if needs be).
Have folk here organised back-ups to social media accounts, etc?
Sorry to appear morbid, but I was interested to hear the discusion on this morning's Breakfast show.
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When I die my social interactions on forums and Twitter, will die with me. My husband and children don't approve of me posting on forums or Twitter for which they don't have the passwords. They have the passwords for all the important stuff like my bank accounts, premium bonds etc.
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When my dad died we couldn't close his Facebook account. No one knew his password or anything like that. So I still get reminders for his birthday and stuff like that. It reminds me that he's gone but then I'll go and have a pint of Guiness in his honour, him being of Irish descent, like.
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When I die my social interactions on forums and Twitter, will die with me.
But how will anyone here know that you are deceased, Floo to close it down?
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When I die my social interactions on forums and Twitter, will die with me. My husband and children don't approve of me posting on forums or Twitter for which they don't have the passwords. They have the passwords for all the important stuff like my bank accounts, premium bonds etc.
I'm pretty sure it's not actually legal to log in as a dead person.
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I'm pretty sure it's not actually legal to log in as a dead person.
On a previous board I was a member of, one of the posters die and his daughter logged in, explained what had happened and kept us up to date with funeral and other developments for about 3 months before asking the mods to close the account. Not sure that there is anything illegal about that - that's what I mean about the legal situation being complicated.
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But how will anyone here know that you are deceased, Floo to close it down?
Does it matter?
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Does it matter?
In a way, yes. We've seen how people wonder about the health, welfare, etc. of those who don't post for a length of time, especially if they haven't explained that they would be not posting before stopping. After all, despite our disagreements we are a community now.
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In a way, yes. We've seen how people wonder about the health, welfare, etc. of those who don't post for a length of time, especially if they haven't explained that they would be not posting before stopping. After all, despite our disagreements we are a community now.
Well my children won't be informing anyone on-line when I have kicked the bucket that is for sure, even if they had the passwords.
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That's a shame because Hope is right, we are a community despite the rows etc. I'd certainly wonder where you were Floo if you ever stopped posting!
In fact I often wonder about a poster called Miles Sinclair. He was the first person I had a meaty discussion with back on the old BBC boards. Haven't seen him on here for years though. He just sort of disappeared.
I had this discussion with my wife the other day. I told her all about Elevenses and his daughter coming on to update us. I think we were all really grateful for that. On the other hand I quite like this space being just mine, separate from any friends and family. The only person here I know in real life is Richard Forest, but we don't see each other very often. Come to think about it he hasn't posted for a while either.
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Miles not signed on in 3 years, Richard was signed on 27th Nov.
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I remember (and liked) Miles Sinclair too. IIRC a few years ago he had a stroke; once he'd recovered he did resume posting, but only for a short time and I haven't seen him around now in a few years.
I do sometimes wonder about some of the regulars on the old BBC boards who didn't continue elsewhere, such as AmbersKnight.
Shaft2101 (I think?) is someone else whose posts I used to enjoy but hasn't been seen in several years - since he got married, I believe.
It's up to him of course but it's a shame that Richard Forrest doesn't post any more, as he's hugely knowledgeable and his posts were always fascinating. I do still see his name at the bottom of the page from time to time, but he hasn't posted in ages - since September 2013 :(
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That's a shame because Hope is right, we are a community despite the rows etc. I'd certainly wonder where you were Floo if you ever stopped posting!
In fact I often wonder about a poster called Miles Sinclair. He was the first person I had a meaty discussion with back on the old BBC boards. Haven't seen him on here for years though. He just sort of disappeared.
I had this discussion with my wife the other day. I told her all about Elevenses and his daughter coming on to update us. I think we were all really grateful for that. On the other hand I quite like this space being just mine, separate from any friends and family. The only person here I know in real life is Richard Forest, but we don't see each other very often. Come to think about it he hasn't posted for a while either.
I have no illusions about myself and if I stopped posting here for whatever the reason, I very much doubt I would be missed.
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I have no illusions about myself and if I stopped posting here for whatever the reason, I very much doubt I would be missed.
Then you are mistaken
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I do still see his name at the bottom of the page
what do you mean? Is there an easier way to see if someone has been active rather than rooting into the history pages?
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what do you mean? Is there an easier way to see if someone has been active rather than rooting into the history pages?
All I did was look him up in the list of members and then clicked on 'posts' - the most recent post is at the top of the page of results.
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Then you are mistaken
Well hopefully I am not about to fall off my twig for a while yet. :)
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Well hopefully I am not about to fall off my twig for a while yet. :)
A year ago, I'd have said the same, Floo, but after my two incidents this year, my 'hope' is somewhat less certain.
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A year ago, I'd have said the same, Floo, but after my two incidents this year, my 'hope' is somewhat less certain.
Well if the forum hasn't heard from me for a while they can assume I kicked the bucket, as I don't appear to be able to stay away for too long.
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On a previous board I was a member of, one of the posters die and his daughter logged in, explained what had happened and kept us up to date with funeral and other developments for about 3 months before asking the mods to close the account. Not sure that there is anything illegal about that - that's what I mean about the legal situation being complicated.
I was thinking about the bank accounts.
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I was thinking about the bank accounts.
Bank accounts are easy. The online account is an extension of the real account. I presume that the executor goes to the bank with documentary evidence that the person has died, distributes the money according to the will and closes the account.
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By the way, I died in July but nobody seems to have noticed yet.
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By the way, I died in July but nobody seems to have noticed yet.
How long were you dead before you came back?
Just need to find the vaguely-appropriate prophecy and hey, you're God.
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It's up to him of course but it's a shame that Richard Forrest doesn't post any more, as he's hugely knowledgeable and his posts were always fascinating. I do still see his name at the bottom of the page from time to time, but he hasn't posted in ages - since September 2013 :(
Time for a Noah's Ark thread?
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By the way, I died in July but nobody seems to have noticed yet.
No, we did, it's just that none of us cared ;)
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By the way, I died in July but nobody seems to have noticed yet.
Its been done.
I did d it a couple of years ago and sayed dead for 6 days. That made me twice as good as Jesus.