How to Secure Your Digital Legacy: Giving Loved Ones Access To Your Online Accounts

I want to preface this blog post by stating that I am NOT a lawyer and this is not legal advice of any kind.

If there’s one thing most of us prefer not to dwell on, it’s that we won’t live forever. Death is a certainty in every life. The real question is Will we be prepared?

In today’s world, our social media accounts are a huge part of our lives. We use them to share memories, stay in touch with friends and family, and even document our daily adventures. Not to mention, as a small business owner myself, we use social media to help run and expand our businesses. But have you ever thought about what happens to these accounts when we’re no longer around? Well,  without the proper steps in place, our social media accounts can be locked and lost forever so it’s important to make sure our loved ones can access and manage them when the time comes.  Let’s dive into five simple steps you can do today to set up access to your social media accounts for your loved ones after you pass away.

1. Designate a Legacy Contact

One of the first steps you can take right now is to designate a legacy contact on platforms that offer this feature. For example, Facebook allows you to choose a trusted person to manage your account after you pass away. This legacy contact can memorialize your account, respond to friend requests, and even update your profile picture. Setting up a legacy contact ensures that your account is in safe hands and can be appropriately managed or memorialized according to your wishes.

To learn more about what a Facebook legacy contact can do click here.

To set up a Facebook legacy contact click here and follow the steps.

You can also set up a Legacy contact for your iPhone. For more information on Apple Legacy Contacts click here

If you are an android/Google user, you can learn more about setting up a legacy contacthere

As of the writing of the blog post, Instagram and Tik Tok do not offer a legacy contact option. So it’s up to you to leave written instruction and/or log-in information for a loved one to access this accounts…This transitions us to number 2 on our list.

2. Store Login Information Securely

It’s important to ensure that your login information is securely stored and accessible to a trusted person. A password manager (app or website) is an excellent tool for this purpose. It can store all your social media login details securely as well as important website logins and allow you to share access with a trusted person. This can also be as simple as keeping an updated notebook or an excel or google doc with this information. Additionally, including this information in your estate planning documents can provide a clear and secure way for your loved ones to access your accounts when needed. 

Here is a link on an article PC Magazine wrote noting their top picks for Best Password Managers. I have no affiliation with PC Magazine or any of the apps they have noted in their article. Feel free to review their picks and then do your own research.

3. Prepare a Digital Will or a Social Media Will

A digital will is an essential document that specifies your wishes regarding your social media accounts and other digital assets. In your digital will, you can include instructions on whether you want your accounts to be memorialized, deleted, or managed by someone. Having a digital will in place provides clear guidance to your loved ones and ensures that your wishes are honored.

4. Utilize Account Features

Many social media platforms as well as your online accounts such as your bank accounts offer features that help manage accounts after death. As I mentioned above, Google’s Inactive Account Manager allows you to decide what happens to your Google account after a specified period of inactivity.

While Instagram doesn’t offer a legacy contact option, a loved one can request that your Instagram account be “memorialized” or “deleted” after you pass. This will require some work on your loved ones end after passing by submitting your information proof of death to Instagram.  You can learn more about that process here

5. Talk To Your Loved Ones

Lastly, it’s super important to inform your loved ones about your digital legacy plans. Make sure they are aware of the necessary information and instructions on how to access and manage your accounts. Having open and honest conversations about your digital legacy can prepare your loved ones and ensure that they know exactly what to do when the time comes. \

Planning for your digital legacy can be uncomfortable to think about but it’s an essential step in today’s world. Taking these steps not only protects your digital legacy but also provides peace of mind for you and your loved ones.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any questions or stories you’d like to share about leaving a Digital Legacy…comment below!