When You Die, What Happens to Your Online 'Life'?

As 2013 ended, Facebook boasted over 1.2 billion monthly active users worldwide. Most likely an active user of the most popular social networking website, yourself, our parents can probably remember when Ray Tomlinson of the research firm Bolt, sent out the first email; the man who's also credited with deciding to use the "@" sign in e-mail names.

Besides Facebook, of course, there's so much more today: there's Instagram, Flickr, Twitter, a host of various blogging sites, Google Plus, and the list goes on. Everyone has their own online media presence, identity and style. Just how big or little that is depends on the individual. However, what happens to that voice when someone passes away?

The Uniform Law Commission was expected to meet on Wednesday regarding a plan that could automatically grant loved ones access to all digital accounts, unless otherwise specified in a will, according to the Associated Press (AP). However, this brings many concerns regarding conditions of privacy. For instance, if information is not restricted about sharing digital records before an individuals dies, will this information be shared with designated individuals? And is this noting unnecessary? 

However, another problem besides privacy remains. What happens to the deceased's "digital assets" as it stands, now? Most laws prohibit family members or close friends from gaining access to this information once the indiviual has gone. 

According to Suzanne Brown Walsh, a Cummings & Lockwood attorney who chaired as the drafting committee on the Bill, said she she believes that a judge's approval should be needed to protect the privacy of both the owners of accounts and those who communicate with them.

However, as it stands, most anti-hacking laws prohibit anyone from assessing an account that isn't theirs, including a family member or close friend.

According to the news organization, with the proposed law, the personal representative of the deceased would receive access to but not control of their digital files.