The Problem
When someone dies, their digital life doesn’t stop.
Bills keep running. Subscriptions renew. Accounts stay locked behind passwords and 2FA. Files are scattered across devices and cloud services. Loved ones aren’t grieving only they’re forced to operate.
What loved ones face
- No access: passwords, devices, and two-factor authentication block entry.
- No map: nobody knows what exists or where critical documents live.
- Ongoing liabilities: subscriptions, renewals, and accounts continue silently.
- Administrative overload: calls, forms, platform requests, and delays.
- Loss of meaning: photos, messages, and personal history become fragmented or disappear.
Why “just call Google” doesn’t work
Platforms follow policies, legal processes, and verification steps. Even when access is possible, it is slow — and families often don’t know what to ask for. The issue is not one company. It’s the absence of a unified structure.
The real problem
The problem is not that digital tools exist. The problem is that there is no intent-based structure that says: what matters, where it is, who should receive access, and why.
Canonical reference: Digital Life After Death
One question
When you die, who can access your digital life?