Friday, April 12, 2013

Life on Google after death


Google wants to emerge as the “go to” website. Although it enjoys the success of the best search engine, it has yet to reach into other markets with much success. Google+ is taking longer to gain popularity and Google reader is shutting down. That sure doesn’t stop Google from reaching the dead.

With so much of lives displayed on the Internet with the use of social networks, Google is offering you the chance to give up your password to your friends when you die. You can think of it as a sort of will.

An option with the Inactive Account Manager will let you select friends or family have access to your passwords to Google account or deactivate all your profiles from the Internet. The features include allowing your account to be deleted if has been inactive for a certain amount of time. Every file would be deleted. All the YouTube videos, Google Drive files and emails.

Facebook let’s family members take over an account to memorialize the deceased. So, why not let Google do the same thing.

Though it sounds good in theory, once it become part of a will the information would be public. Privacy is already an issue with most social networks. I guess it’s worth it if you don’t have any skeletons your closet. You wouldn’t want to for a sensitive issue to be leaked out. It will also be hassle to keep it updated because most people change passwords often.

No longer do you leave behind box full of photos or letters. Now you these features let your Internet data live on. So, now I will be either freaked out that someone will see all my private information even if I’m dead and it shouldn’t matter or leave without a trace.

Google is leading the pack for those who are worried about what will come of their profiles because it’s something that wouldn’t have crossed my mind. 

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