Ep. 36 - Death, Taxes, and Your Data
Wed Jul 09 2025
We all know the saying: nothing is certain except death and taxes. But in today’s digital world, there’s a third certainty—data. In this episode of Privacy Chats with Rachel and John, we ask a big question: what happens to your digital footprint after you die?
💬 From personal anecdotes to platform policies, we explore:
⚰️ The default “limbo” state of accounts on Google, Facebook, and Apple
🛠️ Practical tools like Google’s Inactive Account Manager & Apple’s Legacy Contacts
📜 Estate planning laws (like RUFADAA) that give loved ones digital access
📉 The risks of doing nothing—and letting outdated Terms of Service decide for you🔑 Why password managers might be your unsung digital heirs
This episode is a wake-up call (and a gentle nudge) to take action while you can. 👀 Tune in, reflect, and maybe even update your password vault.
Approximate timestamps:
00:00 🎙️ Intro – Death, Taxes... and Data?
01:45 🧠 What Happens to Our Data After We Die?
04:10 👵 A Generational Shift in Digital Footprints
06:30 🗃️ Google Drive & Inactive Account Manager
10:45 📨 Setting Up a Digital Legacy with Google
13:15 📘 Facebook Memorialization & Legacy Contacts
17:40 💔 A Real Example: Remembering a Friend on Facebook
20:30 ❓ Who Can Request Memorialization (and How)?
23:20 ⚖️ The Legal Void Around Post-Mortem Data
26:00 📜 Estate Planning, RUFADAA & Digital Assets
28:40 🛠️ Tools to Prep: Password Managers & Account Access
30:15 🍏 Apple’s Legacy Contacts – Pros & Limitations
33:00 🎶 Why Digital Purchases Don’t Really Belong to You
34:50 🧩 Recap – 4 Things to Do Before You Die (Digitally)
35:45 📝 Disclaimer & Next Episode Preview
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While this video's content is based on our own thoughts and professional opinions, it was also made possible through the consultation of the following resources:
Benjamin Franklin’s last great quote and the Constitution: https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/benjamin-franklins-last-great-quote-and-the-constitutionWhat Happens to Your Social Media Assets After You Die?: https://www.cccba.org/article/what-happens-to-your-social-media-assets-after-you-die/Facebook Legacy Contact Settings: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=memorializationReport a deceased person’s Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=memorialization
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We all know the saying: nothing is certain except death and taxes. But in today’s digital world, there’s a third certainty—data. In this episode of Privacy Chats with Rachel and John, we ask a big question: what happens to your digital footprint after you die? 💬 From personal anecdotes to platform policies, we explore: ⚰️ The default “limbo” state of accounts on Google, Facebook, and Apple 🛠️ Practical tools like Google’s Inactive Account Manager & Apple’s Legacy Contacts 📜 Estate planning laws (like RUFADAA) that give loved ones digital access 📉 The risks of doing nothing—and letting outdated Terms of Service decide for you🔑 Why password managers might be your unsung digital heirs This episode is a wake-up call (and a gentle nudge) to take action while you can. 👀 Tune in, reflect, and maybe even update your password vault. Approximate timestamps: 00:00 🎙️ Intro – Death, Taxes... and Data? 01:45 🧠 What Happens to Our Data After We Die? 04:10 👵 A Generational Shift in Digital Footprints 06:30 🗃️ Google Drive & Inactive Account Manager 10:45 📨 Setting Up a Digital Legacy with Google 13:15 📘 Facebook Memorialization & Legacy Contacts 17:40 💔 A Real Example: Remembering a Friend on Facebook 20:30 ❓ Who Can Request Memorialization (and How)? 23:20 ⚖️ The Legal Void Around Post-Mortem Data 26:00 📜 Estate Planning, RUFADAA & Digital Assets 28:40 🛠️ Tools to Prep: Password Managers & Account Access 30:15 🍏 Apple’s Legacy Contacts – Pros & Limitations 33:00 🎶 Why Digital Purchases Don’t Really Belong to You 34:50 🧩 Recap – 4 Things to Do Before You Die (Digitally) 35:45 📝 Disclaimer & Next Episode Preview ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ While this video's content is based on our own thoughts and professional opinions, it was also made possible through the consultation of the following resources: Benjamin Franklin’s last great quote and the Constitution: https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/benjamin-franklins-last-great-quote-and-the-constitutionWhat Happens to Your Social Media Assets After You Die?: https://www.cccba.org/article/what-happens-to-your-social-media-assets-after-you-die/Facebook Legacy Contact Settings: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=memorializationReport a deceased person’s Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=memorialization