Your Web 2.0 Beneficiary
In late February, Stephanie Bemister, sister of deceased journalist William Bemister, contacted consumer-rights blog the Consumerist with a problem: she wanted to remove her brother’s profile from Facebook, but the social-networking site would not remove it because its policy is to maintain the profile as a memorial. After a letter from Bemister was posted on the Consumerist, however, Facebook agreed to let her take down the profile.
Welcome to the new reality of managing the online data of loved ones after they die. Unsurprisingly, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are already answering the call. Legacy Locker, whose site is launching today, is a startup that offers an online repository for usernames and passwords that is released to a beneficiary in the event of a person’s death.
To be sure, there’s nothing new about storing login information online. Password managers like Passpack, clipperz, and others have done this for years. But the founders of Legacy Locker believe that they’ve hit on a specific need: the release of login information to trusted people as well as specific instructions for beneficiaries. For instance, in the event of your death, you could leave a note for your partner or children to send out to the contacts in your social networks.
The service isn’t aimed at a younger Facebook or Twitter demographic, explains cofounder David Speiser. It costs $29.99 a year or a one-time fee of $299, and is targeting the demographic that is already in the process of drafting wills.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.
“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.
What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines
New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.
Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats
With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure
Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation
From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.