What the heck is ‘digital estate planning’ and why is Google adding it to its services?

What happens to your digital photos, documents, and other virtual belongings after you die or become incapacitated? This week, Google began letting people plan what is to be done with their “digital life.” An “Inactive Account Manager” can be used to direct Google to pass on data from online venues (such as Google Drive, Gmail, YouTube, and Google+) to particular people or be deleted after a certain time period. For example, Google is now letting people specify how long to wait before taking action to allow choice as to whether you want your data to be shared with a friend or family member, or just deleted entirely. The feature was reportedly added as people increasingly trust their communications, photos, data, and, memories to online social networks and data storage facilities in the Internet cloud. While the law is vague as to digital rights to online accounts after death leading to complications for survivors who want access to the online services of the deceased, this change could make it easier (at least as to Google).

Source: http://www.france24.com/en/20130411-google-adds-digital-estate-planning-its-services

For more information, please visit our social media law service page.

Klemchuk LLP is an Intellectual Property (IP), Technology, Internet, and Business law firm located in Dallas, TX.  The firm offers comprehensive legal services including litigation and enforcement of all forms of IP as well as registration and licensing of patents, trademarks, trade dress, and copyrights.  The firm also provides a wide range of technology, Internet, e-commerce, and business services including business planning, formation, and financing, mergers and acquisitions, business litigation, data privacy, and domain name dispute resolution.  Additional information about the IP law firm and its IP law attorneys may be found at www.klemchuk.com.

Klemchuk LLP hosts Culture Counts, a blog devoted to the discussion of law firm culture and corporate core values with frequent topics about positive work environment, conscious capitalism, entrepreneurial management, positive workplace culture, workplace productivity, and corporate core values.