THIS creepy feature lets you decide what happens to your data after you pass.
Have you ever wondered what happens to your Google Account after you die?
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Well, much like estate planning, Google is now letting you plan what happens to your online life too.
By default, if you have not logged into to your Google Account for over two years, Google assumes that you are no longer using your email address, according to MakeUseOf.
Google will use alternative contact information, such as a mobile phone number or email address, to get in touch, before proceeding to delete your emails, files and pictures.
However, before it does this, it will contact something called your “Inactive Account Manager.”
That is, if you’ve set one up beforehand.
What is the Inactive Account Manager?
“Inactive Account Manager” is a hidden feature and it essentially means your digital next of kin.
“Inactive Account Manager is a way for users to share parts of their account data or notify someone if they’ve been inactive for a certain period of time,” according to Google.
How does it work?
Depending on how much permission you’ve granted this contact, the Inactive Account Manager is like a secondary account that can access parts of your Google data.
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This data includes photos, emails, documents, and public-facing content like YouTube videos.
Setting an Inactive Account Manager can reduce the risk of losing important data due after you die, that your loved ones might want – or need – access to.
Google will essentially grant the Inactive Account Manager a window of time to download your data before it gets wiped, or your entire Google Account is deleted, if that is the option you set ahead of time.
What data can the Inactive Account Manager access in your Google Account?
The designated manager can access anything that is linked to your Google Account. The non-exhaustive list includes:
- Log activity
- Chrome
- Contacts
- Drive
- Location history
- Chat
- Photos
Ensure you select someone whom you consider the most trustworthy, as they’ll really be able to see your entire personal life online.
With Google, you can select up to 10 trustees with varying access to your account.
How to assign an Inactive Account Manager
- Open your Google browser.
- Visit your Google account settings.
- Select Data & Privacy > More options > Make a plan for your digital legacy.
- Under “Plan what happens to your data if you can’t use your Google Account anymore,” select Start.
- Choose an option between 3, 6, 12, or 18 months for level of inactivity.
- Enter your alternative contact details, and press Next.
- Press Next.
- Click Add Person and type the email of the person you have selected.
