One of a series of leaflets published by The Compassionate Friends Thirdly, there is our own self-preservation. If we start exploring our child’s digital footprint, we may discover they took part in activities, held opinions, or had friends we knew nothing about. These might be positive, but there may be some aspects of their lives that can cause us additional grief and pain. Whatever has happened in the past cannot be changed. If we are not ready to face this knowledge, it would be sensible to think carefully about whether or not to proceed. Accessing our child’s digital world is a very personal decision. Just as we may struggle with knowing what to do with their belongings, we must also make decisions regarding their digital legacy. However, an initial decision should not be delayed too long as some internet accounts or services could be suspended if not used within a certain length of time. It may be a good idea to gain access early on, preserve the content and decide later how much to explore the account. It is advisable to keep a record of any passwords for future reference. Practical advice What might we find and where? Content can be stored on any device, as well as cameras, SD memory cards, portable storage devices such as USB sticks or an external hard drive. These days, the majority of photos and videos are either backed up or kept exclusively by remote File Hosting services such as Google Drive for most smartphones, tablets or laptops; on OneDrive for Microsoft users; or on iCloud for Apple users. When searching for precious photos, videos or documents belonging to your child, check their hosting service account(s) to see if they are saved there. Photographs and text: In the online world, photos can be located on social networks such as Facebook, TikTok and Instagram. They can also be kept in online photo albums or designated picture-sharing websites such as Pinterest, Google Photos or iCloud. Photos can also be uploaded to a commercial site such as Photobox or Snapfish, but these sites are not set up for sharing, and after a modest period of time will either be archived or deleted by the site provider. In either case, no-one will be able to download these photos.
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