The Real Battle for Data Privacy Begins When You Die
Should Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc., as well as companies such as Alphabet Inc. and Apple Inc., have the power to decide what happens to our data after our deaths?
Silicon Valley 12:58 am on April 12, 2024
--- The text discusses the need for collective action to address the issue of digital afterlife and data ownership in the context of the tech industry's increasing influence on various aspects of modern life. The author, Hman Abbas, argues that as people occupy permanent dwellings, they have had to invent funerary practices, comparing our current situation to that of the early Paleolithic people called the Natufian. In essence, we are entering an era where digital remains will continue to live indefinitely after a person's death, and it is essential to decide how these digital ghosts should be treated. Key Points: ---
- People are surrounded by the digital remains of their loved ones.
- Decisions regarding what to do with digital remains are currently being made by tech companies.
- There is a need for collective systems to deal with digital afterlife and data ownership.
- The author compares our current situation to the Natufian people and their funerary practices.
- It is essential to start building such systems collectively to decide how digital remains should be treated.
https://www.siliconvalley.com/2024/04/11/the-real-battle-for-data-privacy-begins-when-you-die/