Skip to main content
WUHLD
← Back to glossary

Digital Footprint

Definition

Your digital footprint is the complete record of your online presence—every account, post, email, photo, and interaction—that persists after your death unless someone takes action to manage it.

Understanding your digital footprint matters because the average UK person has around 80-100 online accounts that don't automatically disappear when you die, potentially causing distress to loved ones and creating security risks.

What Does Digital Footprint Mean?

Your digital footprint includes everything you create and interact with online—your Facebook profile, Instagram photos, Gmail account, Amazon purchase history, Netflix subscription, Spotify playlists, online banking, cloud storage, and countless other accounts you've accumulated over years of internet use. It encompasses both your active footprint (what you intentionally post and share) and your passive footprint (data collected about you through browsing, cookies, and tracking). UK GDPR governs how companies collect and store this personal data during your lifetime, but no specific UK legislation defines or regulates what happens to your digital footprint after death.

Unlike physical possessions, your digital footprint doesn't automatically disappear when you die. Your social media accounts stay active indefinitely, emails keep arriving, and subscriptions continue charging unless someone takes action. Relatives have no automatic legal right to access your accounts—even knowing your email address doesn't grant access. Each platform has different policies: Facebook offers memorialization, Google provides an Inactive Account Manager, but many services require court orders for executor access. Sarah's mother died suddenly at age 58, and for months afterward, Sarah kept receiving Facebook birthday reminders about her mother's profile while her mother's friends continued posting, unaware she had died. Without the password, Sarah couldn't memorialize or close the account.

Your digital footprint has value beyond cryptocurrency or online businesses. It contains irreplaceable photos and messages, important documents you may need to access, and personal information that could be used for identity theft if not properly managed. Deceased identity fraud is one of the most common types of identity theft in the UK—people who have died make tempting targets as the theft can go unnoticed for long periods. James discovered his late father had 23 active subscriptions costing £347 per month. Without a list of accounts, it took James six months to identify and cancel them all, wasting over £2,000 of the estate's money.

Managing your digital footprint in estate planning means creating a comprehensive list of accounts, deciding what should happen to each (close, memorialize, preserve, transfer), documenting access credentials securely, and appointing a digital executor or including digital instructions in your will. This protects your privacy wishes, prevents identity theft, preserves precious memories for loved ones, and ensures your online presence reflects how you want to be remembered.

Common Questions

"What happens to my digital footprint when I die?" Your digital footprint remains online after death unless someone takes action to manage it. Without planning, your social media accounts, emails, photos, and online profiles will stay active indefinitely, potentially causing distress to loved ones or creating security risks. Your executor or digital executor can close, memorialize, or manage accounts according to your wishes if you've left clear instructions.

"How is a digital footprint different from digital assets?" Your digital footprint is the complete record of your online presence—every account, post, search, and interaction. Digital assets are the valuable items within that footprint, like cryptocurrency, online businesses, or revenue-generating accounts. Think of your footprint as your entire online trail, while digital assets are the specific things of monetary or sentimental value within it.

"Do I need to include my digital footprint in my will?" Yes, you should address your digital footprint in estate planning. While traditional wills focus on physical assets, your digital footprint contains important personal information, valuable accounts, and cherished memories. Include instructions for managing social media accounts, email access, photo storage, and online subscriptions to prevent identity theft and ensure your online presence reflects your wishes after death.

Common Misconceptions

Myth: "I don't need to worry about my digital footprint—I don't have cryptocurrency or valuable online assets."

Reality: Your digital footprint matters even without financial assets. It contains irreplaceable photos, personal messages, and accounts that could be used for identity theft. Additionally, even "worthless" accounts can cause emotional distress to loved ones (seeing your active Facebook profile months after your death) or financial waste (ongoing subscriptions charging your estate). Traditional estate planning focuses on valuable assets, but your everyday digital footprint affects your family regardless of monetary value.

Myth: "My family will be able to access my accounts if something happens to me—they know my email address."

Reality: Relatives have no automatic legal right to access your digital footprint when you die. Even knowing your email address doesn't grant access—platforms require passwords, may have two-factor authentication, and have strict privacy policies that prevent disclosure even to family members. Without your explicit instructions and credentials, loved ones may be permanently locked out of accounts containing important information or cherished memories. Physical assets pass to executors with probate grants, but digital accounts are governed by service agreements with individual platforms, not inheritance law.

  • Digital Assets: The valuable items within your digital footprint, such as cryptocurrency, online businesses, or revenue-generating accounts that have monetary or legal value.
  • Digital Legacy: What remains and passes to others from your digital footprint—the subset you want preserved, transferred, or inherited after death.
  • Social Media Account: A major, visible part of most people's digital footprints that requires specific memorialization or closure planning.
  • Online Accounts: The collective term for the 80-100 accounts the average person has, forming the practical scope of your digital footprint.
  • Digital Executor: The person you appoint to manage your digital footprint after death according to your wishes.
  • Cloud Storage: Part of your digital footprint containing important documents and irreplaceable photos that executors need access to preserve.

Need Help with Your Will?

Your digital footprint contains years of memories, important information, and accounts that deserve the same careful planning as your physical assets. Understanding what happens to your online presence after death is essential for modern estate planning.

Create your will with confidence using WUHLD's guided platform. For just £99.99, you'll get your complete, legally binding will plus three expert guides. Preview your will free before paying anything—no credit card required.

Legal Disclaimer:

This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. WUHLD is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Laws and guidance change and their application depends on your circumstances. For advice about your situation, consult a qualified solicitor or regulated professional. Unless stated otherwise, information relates to England and Wales.