I self-host most of the things my family and I use on servers at home, and I document everything. Hopefully, the documentation will help.
I have a “death instruction manual” document with all the data and information my wife will need to access my digital life, including the documentation mentioned above, and contact information for people I trust to help her through the process of either managing those servers, or selling them for a good amount of money (there is about 90TB of storage in those).
I also try to teach her, and in time my son (he is too young right now), to manage those servers, but that is more of a long-term goal. She’s comfortable with Linux, so that’s a start.
It starts with relying less and less (as is possible) on outsourced digital assets such as photo storage, social media accounts, etc. while I'm still alive.
After that, I have strict requirements (and instructions) in my estate for accessing and deleting the few accounts I still need at that time. I'm fortunate enough to have started using a password manager as early as 15 years ago, and used it diligently, so redundant access is as easy as possible.
How will you manage your digital assets when you die?
Not my job. Sites not controlled by me will eventually disable or delete things. Sites controlled by me will self delete once funding dries up. If I have done things according to my plans most proof I existed will be gone.
I self-host most of the things my family and I use on servers at home, and I document everything. Hopefully, the documentation will help.
I have a “death instruction manual” document with all the data and information my wife will need to access my digital life, including the documentation mentioned above, and contact information for people I trust to help her through the process of either managing those servers, or selling them for a good amount of money (there is about 90TB of storage in those).
I also try to teach her, and in time my son (he is too young right now), to manage those servers, but that is more of a long-term goal. She’s comfortable with Linux, so that’s a start.
It starts with relying less and less (as is possible) on outsourced digital assets such as photo storage, social media accounts, etc. while I'm still alive.
After that, I have strict requirements (and instructions) in my estate for accessing and deleting the few accounts I still need at that time. I'm fortunate enough to have started using a password manager as early as 15 years ago, and used it diligently, so redundant access is as easy as possible.
How will you manage your digital assets when you die?
Not my job. Sites not controlled by me will eventually disable or delete things. Sites controlled by me will self delete once funding dries up. If I have done things according to my plans most proof I existed will be gone.
What I've observed with my parents and grandparents it that managing your digital assets as you age is more work than after you've passed.