Anyone Else Like Semi-Morbid Questions?

[holdouttrout]

So... I've been thinking about death lately.

Not in the "I think I am sick and going to" way or the "Death is really strange and frightening" way.

No, I've been thinking about what happens to my online self (and my fic) when I die.



It's all NPR's fault, because they had a segment on it a while back about online estates. (This is a lie--I've thought about it before.) But NPR did direct me to The Digital Beyond, which is a pretty nifty place to get info on online death.

Anyway, I don't share passwords with anyone at the moment, so if people needed to get into my e-mail for some reason, it might be difficult. I also don't think anyone in my offline life really understands what, exactly, I do online. (Fic.)

So I started to draw up a document for what I'd like to see happen. It's rough--a guideline, really. I have come to a few conclusions:

1. My parents are probably going to find out about the porn, assuming I predecease them. Sorry, Mom and Dad!

2. I want my fic to stick around as long as possible.

3. I want people to know what happened to me.

4. I don't really care what happens with my Facebook page.

So... what about you? Have you thought about what happens to your digital stuff after you die?

Comments

[thothmes]

My husband was up in the computer room when I came across this, so I started a discussion with him on the subject.

He'll live on digitally in a gazillion and one electronic medical records of his patients. He'll only vanish when the last ones of them has been gone long enough for the institutions to consider purging their records.

Now he knows my passwords, that I want him to simply freeze my journals after posting that I've died, so all of you will know why I simply stopped answering. That assumes that I die soon enough that we haven't all moved to the Digital Elsewhere that we cannot imagine yet because it has not yet been created.

Interesting converstion. Hopefully a completely moot one, because we have a plan. We're going to live in great physical and mental health to the age of 208, when we will go to sleep one night, and neither of us will wake. So he won't be around to worry about my digital existance any more than I will.

Realistic and well-thought out, huh?

[holdouttrout]

I think that plan sounds wonderful! :-)

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

A couple of people know to contact a fandom friend who would post if and when something ever happened to me.

What? I like to be prepared. ;-)

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Hee! That's about all I've done so far. "Okay, Mom, if I die, you have to call So-and-so. She'll take care of all the online stuff."

[beanpot.livejournal.com]

I think this is something i need to think about - who would I want to handle it all, who would find out, etc.


Hmmmm....

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

It's actually really interesting to think about--it's all relatively new to think about.

[grav-ity.livejournal.com]

I have a letter to be sent to eldanna and speedy_leen. You are not the only person who thinks this way. :)

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Hee! Excellent.

[supplyship.livejournal.com]

I have only vaguely thought about this... I really should put a plan together. *wanders off to read the article*

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

It's more like a huge site. But yes! I find it really interesting, actually.

[nandamai]

#2 is the main reason I'm on AO3.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Heh. Yeah. I still have to upload all my fic... bother. :-)

[zorb]

I have an "emergencies" file on my computer that has some password hints and key fandom people to notify, but that's about it.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I... really need to think about this. I'm very paranoid about my computer security.

[annerbhp.livejournal.com]

I totally have an envelope in with my important documents (passports, birth certificates, etc) that has a fannish contact and my passwords in it. What? I was flying around a lot. Writer's imagination. ;)

You know, we did a meme ages ago where we willed out unfinished fics to specific fangirls.

I'd just want to make sure someone posted the endings to my egregious WIPs. Lol.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

I'm naming you executor of my fannish estate. *g*

[seldearslj.livejournal.com]

I've thought about it. Never really done anything about it.

I might put it in my will for either of my sisters to enact. Or possibly a couple of nearby internet friends.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I figured it was probably easier to have someone who was comfortable with the internet handle that part of it. I know my mother would be totally lost if she was in charge of it herself.

But as it stands currently, my plan is somewhat vague (and partly on purpose). It's really hard to think about it in concrete terms and make massive decisions right now.