One-in-four (24%), 13 million Brits, of the UK think their social media and email accounts should be automatically removed after death.
According to research from LifeSearch, a quarter of the UK would support this “data-death”. However, a large number have not even discussed it.
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Emotional wellbeing and financial security of loved ones are top death concerns, but more than one-in-10 (12%) are worried about their digital or social media accounts after passing. Shockingly, 92% have not prepared for this eventuality by telling loved ones their digital presence and social media wishes after death.
44% were worried that social media and email could be hacked and upset loved ones, 40% didn’t want private data and messages to become available, and 40% just preferred certain elements to be automatically deleted.
On the other hand, not everything is about deleting accounts. Close to two-fifths (39%) of those asked wanted to leave friends and family a digital legacy. This would be somewhere loved ones could access certain assets such as music and photos.
Emma Walker, chief marketing officer at LifeSearch, commented: “With our online presence increasingly a part of every day life, it’s important that we consider what will happen to our social media profiles, email accounts and the thousands of photos, videos and memories that go with them.
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By GlobalData“Understandably it’s something that not many of us are keen to discuss, but avoiding essential conversations about our digital life after death could leave our loved ones locked out, unable to take control or at the mercy of hackers should the worst happen.
“Protection all starts with one open, honest conversation so we’re urging the nation to start talking openly and honestly – if awkardly – about these issues that matter most, to not only safeguard their family’s future, but their own too.”
Conversation tends to be difficult in the UK. LifeSearch also found that 24% of Brits avoid talking to friends, family, and colleagues about death. Furthermore, 24% do not talk about money, 33% do not talk about sex and 22% do not converse about religion and politics.
