If we don’t plan ahead what will happen to our digital footprint, our loved ones may have to deal with this painful process for us. In addition to the grief they will experience and the paperwork they will have to deal with, they may also be dealing with your accounts such as Facebook and Twitter.

Cybersecurity firm ESET has shared its recommendations on how to manage your digital footprints.

facebook

If you have a Facebook account, you have shared many important photos, thoughts and moments. Facebook offers two different options for what happens after your death: you can request that your account be deleted after your death. This is a request that you can send to Facebook and cannot be changed by anyone else. This option requires someone to post a photo of your death certificate on Meta to notify Meta. You can choose an ‘Heir Account’ to manage your memorial account. Bill heir, you trust; must be someone who wants to manage your messages and photos along with your profile. Your heir to your account may need to access your death certificate, and of course they must have a Facebook account.

Instagram

Although Instagram, like Facebook, is a Meta application, Instagram users have no option to delete their accounts. An Instagram account can be memorialized at the request of an authorized person with the death certificate or a family member, but no one can control your photos, videos or privacy settings. Instagram’s terms of use are clear: even if your content is your own, you give Instagram permission to use it as it sees fit, as long as your content is on the platform. While no one can delete your account after your death, Instagram can still claim the right to use your content.

google

You may use many Google services, including Gmail, YouTube, or Google Drive. Moreover, if you have an Android phone, these accounts are bound to be full of important documents and memorable photos. You can enable Google’s ‘Inactive Account Manager’ to prevent your sensitive information from becoming inaccessible. So Google detects that your account is inactive and sends a downloadable link to a contact you selected earlier. Just as you can choose which of your data can be downloaded, you also choose the period during which your account is inactive.

If you decide not to leave any instructions, your family or legal representative may request that your account be deleted and, in addition, some data or funds. Google states that these individuals will continue to prioritize your privacy in their decisions and that each case will be assessed individually.

Microsoft

Microsoft does not provide tools to help you manage your inheritance or ask a family member to delete your account. However, a court order removes the accounts.

twitter

Twitter also doesn’t have a policy for deciding what happens to your account when you die. In turn, Twitter allows a family member or authorized representative to contact them and request the deletion of your account. For this, the platform requests a copy of your death certificate along with the applicant’s ID card and some additional information.