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• 📉 The risks of doing nothing—and letting outdated Terms of Service decide for you🔑 Why password managers might be your unsung digital heirs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-constitution
• What 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=memorialization
• Report a deceased person’s Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=memorialization