(HOUSTON) — When our loved ones pass away, their books and record albums will often be passed down to the next generation.
But we’re getting to the point when those books and albums will no longer be available in hard form — only in digital form.
What to do with digital assets once their license holders pass on has been a sticky issue for tech companies for years.
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Delaware Gov. Jack Markell recently signed a first-of-its-kind law that grants the digital assets of those who have died or are incapacitated to loved ones.
South Texas College of Law professor Gerald Treece said that without Delaware’s new law, you have to go through a lot of red tape to obtain your loved one’s digital assets.
“You have to get a court order to go get any type of assets,” Treece said. “That is, unless you personally know the passcode and you are representing the estate.”
Treece said Texas and other states need to follow suit.
“I see very few downsides to it,” he said.
Under Delaware’s new law, digital property — including Facebook, Amazon and iTunes accounts — will now be treated the same was as physical property after someone passes away.
The law, however, only goes to the extent allowed by each service’s end user license agreement.
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What Happens to Your Online Accounts When You Die? was originally published on news92fm.com
