Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2015 | Page 145
LEGAL
Help from Glanvilles
By Jennifer Pollitt
Glanvilles LLP,
The Courtyard Office, Newport, PO30 5BF
01983 527878
[email protected]
Wills and your digital assets
F
acebook recently reported 1 billion users in one day alone.
With an increasing number of us on social media and
other digital assets and information online belonging to
us, it is now important to consider what happens to it all in the
event of our death.
Typically Wills cover personal ‘chattels’
(i.e. personal items and belongings) so
this could well already cover your laptop
or mobile phone and maybe what’s on it.
What about online content such as your
contacts, emails and photographs on
social media profiles such as Facebook?
For some it will be important to preserve
and pass on because the content has
private or sentimental value, or maybe
monetary value. However, access can
then pose a problem. Take an example:
Facebook publish that they do not give
out passwords following the death of a
user. ‘Verified immediate family members’
can request the removal of the account or
it is possible to ‘memorialise’ an account –
leaving it open but without the ability for
anyone to log in.
As it happens, Facebook now allows
you to add a ‘legacy contact’ within
your settings, i.e. someone who can
retrieve photos, but what about other
institutions?
Furthermore, as someone’s executor
(the person appointed to deal with all
the assets) you have certain duties. This
includes preserving assets and not gaining
control over some online accounts, digital
devices etc, could pose a risk to security
and leave the estate open to fraud. As
an executor you also want to ensure that
you are not technically committing any
offence by forcing access to any accounts,
even with the best of intentions.
It is therefore now important to consider
the following when making a Will:
• What digital assets, accounts, devices
etc. do you have? Making a note.
• Who receives these ultimately?
• What would you want to happen with
digital accounts?
• Do they have what they need to gain
access and control? Maybe even
making a note of passwords etc.
These matters can be easily addressed
by a codicil to your Will or a separate
letter of wishes left with the original Will.
Glanvilles solicitors can help you update
your Wills.
For help regarding this or any other
legal issues you may have, contact
Glanvilles on 01983 527878
www.goilife.co.uk
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