What happens to your Google account when you die?

Google has introduced a new feature, known as Google inactive account; this allows users to set what happens to your information in your Google account once you are dead. Inside the Google Inactive Account Manager you are able to set a certain period of inactivity after which, if the period elapses, Google will assume that you are no longer alive.

Google will send you alerts via text messages if you have specified your mobile number and email messages will be sent to the secondary email address you provided upon sign up. The alerts will be sent two months prior to the lapse of the set period. If you do not respond, the actions you specified will be executed. The data can be deleted, sent to close family or friends that you specify.

The options for period inactivity ranges from 3, 6, 9 or one year. Users are at will to choose any of these options and set the specified action. The information that will be sent to the specified recipients include, contacts, Google circles, blogs, photos on Picasa, Gmail, Google Voice, Google +, Google Drive, YouTube videos, Adwords, Adsense,  and any other information on the Google platform.

If you specify that your information should be sent to a specified recipient or a list of various email addresses, they will receive an email from Google, informing them that you had selected them to receive your information, in the email message, there will be a link which will allow the recipient to download all the aforementioned information.

The Google inactive account feature, has been receiving alot of talk lately. Some people think, it’s a great idea, while others feel that it’s a crazy idea. It all depends on the way you look at it. Since the setting is optional users can choose to activate it or leave it, the choice is all yours! Some people say it’s a way of managing your digital information, and my pave the way to a digital will!

Read more about Google Inactive Account Manager here