A traditional executor handles a deceased person's material estate. But who takes care of the digital estate? The digital executor is a new role, not yet formally recognized in all legal systems, but increasingly essential. Here's how to understand and organize this role.
What Is a Digital Executor?
A digital executor (sometimes called a "digital estate manager" or "digital legacy contact") is the person responsible for managing your digital assets after your death. Their responsibilities include:
- Accessing your online accounts according to your instructions
- Closing or memorializing your social media profiles
- Transmitting your important files to your heirs
- Canceling your digital subscriptions and services
- Managing your online reputation
- Executing your instructions regarding your digital estate (cryptocurrencies, web domains, etc.)
The Legal Framework: Where Things Stand
The legal situation varies by country. In most jurisdictions, the framework remains unclear on several points.
What is recognized:
- Heirs' rights to access the deceased's data
- The possibility of designating a trusted person for post-mortem data management
What remains ambiguous:
- Rights to cryptocurrency accounts
- Ownership of digital works and creative content
- Transferability of digital subscriptions and licenses
Most digital services have their own policies that may be more restrictive than the law. That's why proactive preparation (via EchoPass) is preferable to posthumous legal action.
Differences from the Traditional Executor
The traditional executor is named in your will, officially recognized by courts, and has legal powers to act on behalf of your estate. Their role is regulated by law.
The digital executor doesn't yet have a clear legal status in most countries. Their authority stems essentially from the trust you place in them and the access you provide. That's why providing practical access (via EchoPass) is more effective than legal designation alone.
In practice, the same individual can fulfill both roles, or you can designate different people if their skills differ.
How to Choose Your Digital Executor
Required Skills
Your digital executor should ideally be:
Comfortable with technology: they'll need to navigate digital interfaces, manage access, and potentially contact online services.
Organized and methodical: managing a digital estate requires following a checklist and handling many tasks simultaneously.
Discreet and reliable: they'll have access to very personal information. Confidentiality is essential.
Available in the weeks following death: digital management is more urgent than material succession (active subscriptions, hackable accounts, etc.).
Relationship with Heirs
Your digital executor isn't necessarily your primary heir. Sometimes, your most tech-savvy child is the best candidate, even if they're not your primary heir.
However, ensure there's good communication and trust between your digital executor and your heirs to avoid conflicts.
How to Prepare Your Digital Executor
Comprehensive Documentation
Provide your digital executor (via EchoPass) with:
- Complete inventory of your accounts and digital assets
- Precise instructions for each account
- Access to systems and tools
- Contacts for important online services
- Priority schedule for tasks
Advance Briefing
During your lifetime, explain to your digital executor:
- How EchoPass works and how they'll access the information
- The broad outline of what they'll need to do
- Resources where they can find help
Clearly Define the Scope
Specify what your digital executor is authorized to do and what they aren't. For example: can they post on your behalf? Reply to your emails? Sell your digital assets?
The Digital Executor's Checklist
Here are the typical tasks your executor will need to accomplish:
In the first week:
- Notify important professional contacts
- Secure critical accounts (change passwords to prevent impersonation)
- Cancel urgent automatic charges
In the first month:
- Manage social media (memorialization or deletion)
- Cancel all digital subscriptions
- Transfer important files to heirs
- Manage cryptocurrencies and digital financial assets
In the first three months:
- Cancel or transfer domain names
- Manage intellectual property accounts
- Close all remaining accounts
To prepare the information to transmit, read our guide create a dead man's switch online and our digital succession checklist.