After Death, What Happens to A Person’s Digital Data?

September 18, 2012

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. regain (v.)
[ree-geyn] – to get back something
Example: The company wants to increase its advertising to regain sales in the market.

2. commit (v.) [kuh-mit] – to do something, usually one that is bad or against the law
Example: Under the law, heavy penalties will be given to anyone who commits a crime.

3. vault (n.) [vawlt] – a place where things with value are kept
Example: Some keep their photos in a flash drive, which acts as a vault.

4. upload (v.) [uhp-lohd] – to put information on the internet
Example: People like to upload photos of their vacations on their Facebook accounts.

5. download (v.) [doun-lohd] – to take information from internet
Example: The students downloaded the files sent by their teacher through email.

Read the text below.

People keep a lot of digital content online, but not many people think about what would happen to their information when they die.

For those who die unexpectedly, their online data are left unmanaged, and concerned family members may have difficulty regaining control of the content from large Internet corporations.

One such case is of Benjamin Stassen, a 21-year-old college student who committed suicide. Benjamin’s parents wish to access his Facebook account, which may have clues as to why he took his life. But they cannot easily get access because Benjamin, like all Facebook users, signed a user agreement that makes Facebook the owner of the account’s content.

In another case, the 34-year-old Mac Tonnies, who suddenly died in his sleep in 2009, left behind the well-followed blog “Post-Human Blues.”

Unfortunately, over time, Mac’s blog has become filled with spam comments. Mac’s family has tried contacting the blog host, Google, hoping to be able to clean up the blog, but they have been unsuccessful.

To solve such problems, some companies offer digital vaults where consumers can upload files and passwords. After a consumer’s death, these companies distribute or destroy the files according to the consumer’s instructions.

Others find their own ways to try solving the problem. Mac’s friend, web developer Mark Plattner, used a program to download all the content of Mac’s blog. The content was then uploaded on another site where it can be better cared for. According to Plattner, it would be a good idea for people to already start planning on what digital memories they hope to leave behind.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         Do you worry about what will happen to your online data if you suddenly pass away? Why or why not?
·         Should online companies help family members access the account of a user who passes away? Please explain your answer.

Discussion B

·         Would you say that your online activities or data show a lot of who you are? Please explain further.
·         What kind of memory of you would you like people to have in the future?

September 18, 2012