As people spend more of their lives online through virtual communities such as Facebook, increasingly there is a concern about how to treat these digital extensions of ourselves once we die.
A new app has one way of addressing the situation.
If I Die is a free app that you can download and install on Facebook. It allows you to create one or multiple text and media messages that are posted to your account should you die. How does the app know you’ve died? You designate three people to act as custodians. If they provide validation of your death, the app posts your creations based on a timetable of your creation.
It’s interesting, but perhaps a bit more dangerous than people might suspect. I’m sure that someone without any intention of dying in the near future might indeed decide to record a terrible secret or a final insult. But some things are best left unsaid, and what is done in jest without serious intention to utilize, might in fact be utilized to devastating effect.
It’s an interesting idea, but one I think I’ll pass on. At least for now.
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