Ep. 36 - Death, Taxes, and Your Data

We all know the saying: nothing is certain except death and taxes. But in today’s digital world, there’s a third certainty—data. In this episode of Privacy Chats with Rachel and John, we ask a big question: what happens to your digital footprint after you die?💬 From personal anecdotes to platform policies, we explore:⚰️ The default “limbo” state of accounts on Google, Facebook, and Apple🛠️ Practical tools like Google’s Inactive Account Manager & Apple’s Legacy Contacts📜 Estate planning laws (like RUFADAA) that give loved ones digital access📉 The risks of doing nothing—and letting outdated Terms of Service decide for you🔑 Why password managers might be your unsung digital heirsThis episode is a wake-up call (and a gentle nudge) to take action while you can. 👀 Tune in, reflect, and maybe even update your password vault.Approximate timestamps:00:00 🎙️ Intro – Death, Taxes... and Data?  01:45 🧠 What Happens to Our Data After We Die?  04:10 👵 A Generational Shift in Digital Footprints  06:30 🗃️ Google Drive & Inactive Account Manager  10:45 📨 Setting Up a Digital Legacy with Google  13:15 📘 Facebook Memorialization & Legacy Contacts  17:40 💔 A Real Example: Remembering a Friend on Facebook  20:30 ❓ Who Can Request Memorialization (and How)?  23:20 ⚖️ The Legal Void Around Post-Mortem Data  26:00 📜 Estate Planning, RUFADAA & Digital Assets  28:40 🛠️ Tools to Prep: Password Managers & Account Access  30:15 🍏 Apple’s Legacy Contacts – Pros & Limitations  33:00 🎶 Why Digital Purchases Don’t Really Belong to You  34:50 🧩 Recap – 4 Things to Do Before You Die (Digitally)  35:45 📝 Disclaimer & Next Episode Preview  ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________While this video's content is based on our own thoughts and professional opinions, it was also made possible through the consultation of the following resources: Benjamin Franklin’s last great quote and the Constitution: https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/benjamin-franklins-last-great-quote-and-the-constitutionWhat Happens to Your Social Media Assets After You Die?: https://www.cccba.org/article/what-happens-to-your-social-media-assets-after-you-die/Facebook Legacy Contact Settings: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=memorializationReport a deceased person’s Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=memorialization