Delete My Browser History: Google's Tools for the Digital Afterlife

Notify up to 10 trusted friends of your inactive account.

What happens to your digital life after you die? The Verge reports that handling your Google accounts if the unthinkable happens now takes a few minutes, thanks to Google's new Inactive Account Manager.
"We hope that this new feature will enable you to plan your digital afterlife — in a way that protects your privacy and security — and make life easier for your loved ones after you’re gone




In setting up the Google Inactive Account Manager, users will be able to select a length of time the account must be inactive before the alert goes out. Then, up to ten trusted individuals will receive a customized information on how to proceed or handle the account. Finally, Google gives users the option to effectively "burn" their account, wiping all materials from all Google properties — including public Youtube videos, Google+ profiles and Google Voice extensions.
There's also no worry that a "trusted" member will be able to gain access to the account if the deletion preference is selected. A Google spokesperson told TechCrunch that “when there’s a conflict, we will honor the preference you’ve made in Inactive Account Manager to the extent permitted by law.”
Dealing with digital identities after someone has gone dead or missing is an interesting and still-developing problem on various platforms. The Inactive Account Manager is a simplified version of the old process for accessing or shutting down an account, which required both birth and death notices from a family member. Other platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, still require a bit of finagling to secure a loved one's account after he or she dies, but the Inactive Account Manager could provide plenty of information and act as a "digital will" with minimal set-up.
What do you think of Google's new service? Would you use it? Let us know in the comments.