Your child's digital legacy

Today we each exist in a virtual world – in the electronic memory of a computer, mobile phone or other device, and on the internet, through social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and on blogs and websites.

For those of us who lose a child in this era, and particularly if our child had been approaching their teens or was older, it is very likely they will have left footprints in this digital world – what we call their ‘digital legacy.’ It can be just as important to be able to access and preserve this content as to preserve the material reminders of our children.

The issues you may need to consider are:

• Considering your child’s wishes and privacy
• Accessing your child’s mobile phone, tablet or computer
• Accessing your child's online accounts
• Attempting to overcome the problem of password protected accounts
• Virtual mourning and commemoration
• Memorialising on Facebook
• Security online
• Backing up to save online material
• Contacting your child’s virtual friends
• Saving Voicemail greetings

TCF’s new leaflet Our Child, Social Media and Their Digital Legacy has some basic information, advice and suggestions.

Other useful websites include:

Digital Legacy: Accessing the digital world of your loved one

Death in the Digital Era: A useful guide
(This was produced in 2015 and some details are out of date, but it does provide some useful information).