Protecting Your Digital Legacy: What Happens to Your Online Life?

We live more of our lives online than ever before — but few people stop to consider what happens to their digital world when they die.

From treasured photos and videos, to email accounts, banking apps, cryptocurrency wallets, and subscription services, your digital footprint may be much larger (and more valuable) than you think.

What Is a Digital Legacy?

Your digital legacy includes:

• Social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)

• Online banking and investment platforms

• Cryptocurrency wallets and keys

• Email and cloud storage

• Shopping accounts (Amazon, eBay, PayPal)

• Subscriptions (Netflix, Spotify, etc.)

• Personal websites or blogs

  
  

Without clear instructions, your executors may struggle to access these — or not even know they exist. Some platforms will delete inactive accounts automatically. Others require legal hurdles to be overcome.

Why It Matters

• Sentimental items (photos, videos, messages) could be lost forever

• Unclaimed digital assets (e.g. PayPal balances or crypto) could be missed

• Fraud and identity theft risks increase if accounts remain active

• Family members could face delays or distress trying to resolve online accounts

  
  

What You Can Do

• Create a list of your digital assets and how to access them (stored securely)

• Include digital assets in your Will or as part of a Letter of Wishes

• Nominate a “digital executor” or let your executors know what’s important

• Consider using a secure password manager with legacy access features
  

Your legacy isn’t just what you leave behind — it’s also what you make easy for others to handle.