Introduction xv
1 Overcoming the Taboo of Death 1
1. Accepting Our Mortality 1
2. Talking about Death: A Social Shift 3
3. Seeking Spiritual Comfort Online and Offline 5
4. Tender Territory: The Importance of Self-care 9
5. Immortality Promise of the Internet 12
6. Why You Can’t Rely on Bit Rot 14
2 What Is a Legacy? 17
1. Legacy by the Generations 19
2. How Digital Is Your Life? 22
3. Your Personal Legacy 23
4. Legacy of Your Loved Ones 26
5. Professional Legacies 26
vi Digital Legacy Plan
3 Assets and Access 29
1. Digital Assets Inventory 30
1.1 Online banking 30
1.2 Internet access 31
1.3 Servers 32
1.4 Websites 32
1.5 Email and databases 33
1.6 Storage solutions 33
1.7 Productivity services 34
1.8 Social media and online communities 34
1.9 Shopping accounts 35
1.10 Loyalty programs and memberships 37
1.11 Gaming accounts 37
1.12 Entertainment accounts 37
1.13 Events and tickets 38
1.14 Medical attention 38
1.15 Academic interfaces 39
2. Who Has Control? Who Has Access? 40
3. Legal Mechanisms 41
4 Legacy Planning Options 45
1. Make Your Choice before Death 45
2. Death by Unnatural Causes 46
3. Bequeath Your Digital Life 47
4. You’re up for Digital Adoption 50
5. Your Legacy Is Lost 51
6. Neglected or Ignored: Digital Litter 51
Introduction vii
5 Digital Estate Planning 53
1. Beyond Your Last Will and Testament 54
2. Empowering Your Executor and Digital Steward 54
3. Working with Professionals 55
4. There Are No Secrets in Cyberspace 57
6 Transitioning Social Media, Websites,
and Other Tools 61
1. Managing Social Media Accounts 62
1.1 Facebook 65
1.2 Instagram 67
1.3 Twitter 68
1.4 LinkedIn 69
1.5 Pinterest 69
1.6 Snapchat 69
2. Google and Other Websites 70
2.1 A Note about YouTube 71
3. Password Managers 72
4. Access to the Management of Other Websites 75
5. Other Online Accounts 78
6. Basic Guidelines for Transitioning Accounts 79
7 Online Memorial Planning 81
1. Digital Memorials 82
2. Social Media Obituaries 85
3. Curating the Museum of Me 90
8 Death and Dying in the Digital Age 97
1. Dealing with Death in the Twenty-first Century 98
2. Grieving in the Virtual Community 99
viii Digital Legacy Plan
3. The Dead among Us 100
4. Social Media and Mourning 102
5. Reliving Sad Memories 105
6. Comfort in Self: Your Self-care Contract 106
7. Comfort in Community: Online Groups 107
8. Digital Etiquette in Death 109
9 The Social Shift: Death at the
Intersection of Digital and Analog 113
1. Everybody Dies: What’s Your Plan? 114
2. Social Responsibility: We’re in It Together 114
Download Kit 119
Samples
1 Self-care Contract 10
2 Your Digital Life Worksheet 24
3 Digital Assets Inventory Worksheet 31
4 Important Contacts Worksheet 56
5 Clean Your Digital Closet Worksheet 59
6 Social Media and Other Accounts Worksheet 63
7 Writing an Obituary Worksheet 89
8 Personal Milestones Worksheet 93
9 Privacy Preferences Worksheet 95
10 Museum of Me Worksheet 96
11 Personal Reflections on Death and Dying Worksheet 103
12 Digital Legacy Plan Checklist 115