What Happens to Your Online Identity When You Die?

That is the big question since we all are so attached to online services, email accounts, online billing services, etc.  What happens to all that information in event you kick the bucket?  I'm sure there are more than a few accounts on Facebook and Twitter server's that are in a limbo due to their account holder being deceased (unfortunately, I know of a couple profile's like this).  Purely due to the fact nobody had access to a password after the fact.

I'm sure some people trust their loved one's or at least a spouse with this information (especially for things like banking and bill paying).  But for other situations, there is a solution outside of jotting all of your passwords down and placing them in a bank vault or security box somewhere.  At least this is the aim for PassMyWill.com.

How does it work?  Pretty simple actually.  You set up an account, and log your passwords with your user account on their site.  They will poll your social networks (Facebook and Twitter) and in the event that a lack of posts or status updates happens to be noticed, the account email (your email address) will get a verification email.  If indeed you are deceased, the people whom you specified at sign up to receive this information will get an encrypted version of your password, and will have to use their key to get access.

Not a bad idea in theory.  If you've ever seen some of those movies where they have a reading of the will after a loved one dies; and that one, long lost grandchild gets a mysterious key to a hidden safety security box...Yeah, this can be kind of like that.  I just wonder how many people will even worry over whether their Facebook page is taken care of post-mortem?