Why Do You Need a Digital “dead Man’s Switch”

No one likes to contemplate their mortality or the mess you could potentially leave behind. But we will all die someday, and for some of us, death will be an unexpected event. You would like to think that you will have some degree of control over your demise and that you will be able to get your affairs in order, but you may not have that chance and it will affect everyone around you . From a partner who can’t log into your accounts to a treasure trove of NSFW content you’d rather your loved ones never know about, there’s always unfinished business after an unexpected death.

If you want to make life easier for the people you care about and protect your legacy, it’s time to install a digital “dead man’s switch.” The good news is that it’s actually quite easy to do.

What is a dead man’s switch?

Simply put, a dead man’s switch is a mechanism, physical or digital, that goes off if you’re not there to stop it. Trains used to be equipped with these: if an engineer was not physically present to operate the train, it would automatically slow to a stop. In some Hollywood action movies, terrorists and criminals use them with bombs – they press a button, and if they stop pressing it, the bomb explodes, so the good guys can’t just kill them without killing everyone.

Setting up Digital Deadman for yourself is quite easy. There are websites like Dead Man’s Switch and Dead Man Tracker where you can set up a simple one (even free!) that will send an email you’ve composed in advance. These services will send you a regular email with a link; if you click on the link, nothing happens. If you don’t do this , the switch will be triggered and the content you pre-configured will be sent to your recipients.

You can also use Google’s Inactive Account Manager service in a similar way by setting up a list of trusted contacts who can receive an email you create once Google determines that your account is inactive. You can also decide what data they get access to, so you can give someone access to your inbox but not your search history (for example).

Dealing with your unexpected demise will likely involve no bombs or trains. But the digital dead man’s switch has many uses.

Alerts

Did you know that it is estimated that about 3% of all deaths in the US are due to unclaimed bodies? If you had an unexpected accident in this remote online world, who would know about it? Setting up a digital dead switch with frequent checks (say daily) means that your recipients can be alerted very quickly that something has happened to you. At the very least, it may encourage someone to check on your health and perhaps provide assistance when you are unable to do so yourself.

You can also use a dead man’s switch to ensure that your pets are taken care of if something terrible happens. It’s bad enough imagining that you could have an accident that wouldn’t be noticed for days (or longer), but imagining that your pets are suffering too just makes the whole concept infinitely worse.

Passwords and finances

One of the most powerful uses of the digital dead is to ensure that someone has access to your financial and online assets after you are gone. Think about it: if you do the banking for your family, will your partner be able to access the accounts and retain control of everything if you are gone? Or will they have to contact a lawyer and spend weeks or months fighting for this access? An encrypted email coming through a dead man’s switch can ensure they have all the information they need in one place in a timely manner, and it’s much more secure than a piece of paper on your desk, and much more convenient and accessible than a piece of paper in the office. safe.

Some password managers have similar services that may be worth checking out. 1Password , for example, offers an Emergency Kit , which is a secure PDF containing all the information someone will need to take control of your online accounts. Since this doesn’t necessarily include a message option, it’s a slightly simpler option than the dead man’s switch, but it offers the same basic functionality in terms of monitoring your loved ones.

Last words

The last but significant reason for going digital dead? Forget about money and make sure your Facebook friends know you’ve died: you can leave a last message to your loved ones and true friends. Something you can spend some time on and reflect on – the type of message that says everything we don’t usually say in everyday life.

Alternatively, you can email a friend asking them to delete your porn folder, or take the extra step of replacing the dead man by installing something like a physical “cable cord” for your laptop that will literally cause your laptop to shut down on its own. Destroy if you don’t regularly answer the dead man’s switch prompt. While they’re designed to protect your privacy and data from physical theft, they can also be used to burn it all down if you’re not around to hide all your questionable files and weird searches.

Nobody wants to plan their own death. But a little planning with the help of a dead man can save everyone in your life a lot of trouble – and maybe provide some reputation insurance at the same time.