Death + Technology
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December 31, 2016
2016’s Most Memorable Death Articles and More
2016 will very likely be remembered as the year of the Dead Celebrity. Prince was certainly a tough death for Death Ref. And yet, a…
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March 8, 2016
SxSW 2016: Everybody Dies: What Is Your Digital Legacy? Friday, March 11 @ 5pm
Everybody Dies: What Is Your Digital Legacy? SxSW 2016 Panel with Alethea Lange, Dr. John Troyer (from Death Ref!), Megan Yip, and Vanessa Callison-Burch Friday,…
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August 2, 2015
How to Build a Survivor Library Before
the Grid Goes Down — Embalming Books Included The Survivor Library One the Media, WNYC Public Radio (2014 and 2015) WNYC’s radio show On The Media is a constant source of solid information…
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April 2, 2015
Necrophilia Laws and Abusing the Corpse at the Morbid Anatomy Museum
Abusing the Corpse Even More: Understanding Necrophilia Laws in the USA — Now with more Necro! And more Philia! An Illustrated Lecture by Dr. John…
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February 1, 2015
New York Times Starts New Series on Death and Dying: The End.
Dying Shouldn’t Be So Brutal Ira Byock, New York Times (January 31, 2015) Where is the public outrage over needless suffering at the end of…
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July 30, 2014
Day 30: Bringing the Dead Back to (Some Kind of) Life
9 Things to Know About Reviving the Recently Dead Greg Miller, Wired Magazine (July 30, 2014) Great article in today’s Wired about research by Dr….
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July 29, 2014
Day 29: Full Listing of Events for Death Ref John’s Morbid Anatomy Museum Residency
Morbid Anatomy Museum 424A 3rd Ave Brooklyn, NY 11215 During the month of August, I will be the Scholar in Residence at the Morbid Anatomy…
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July 25, 2014
Day 25: Death Row Prisoners’ Final Statements and Meals
From America’s Busiest Death Chamber, a Catalog of Last Rants, Pleas and Apologies Manny Fernandez, The New York Times (June 29, 2013) Texas has executed…
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July 22, 2014
Day 22: People Taking Selfies at the 9/11 Memorial, because #America
Selfies from the 9/11 Memorial Leah Finnegan, The Awl (July 21, 2014) Let us begin Day 22 of the 31 Days of Death posts with…
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July 19, 2014
Day 19: Digital Death Bill Marches Onward
Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act Approved
A new act approved today by a national law group provides comprehensive provisions governing access to digital assets. The Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (UFADAA) was approved by the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) at its 123rd Annual Meeting in Seattle
Uniform Law Commission Press Release (July 16, 2014)The Death Reference Desk has been so busy this week with all things assisted dying that we missed an important development in the digital death world.
Earlier this week, the Uniform Law Commission approved a new model law that allows access to digital assets, i.e., photos, documents, social media accounts, etc., by a person other than the original owner if an executor is named.
The ULC develops proposed legislation for potential use by all 50 US States. This particular bill is important for anyone thinking about who or whom will have access to your digital files, assets, properties, e-mails, photos, etc., after you die.
We’ve only got the press release to work from right now, which isn’t ideal, but there will more to come about the ULC’s approval.
The approved bill is summed up this way:
In the modern world, digital assets have largely replaced tangible ones. Documents are stored in electronic files rather than in file cabinets. Photographs are uploaded to web sites rather than printed on paper. However, the laws governing fiduciary access to these digital assets are in need of an update.
The Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act [UFADAA] solves the problem using the concept of “media neutrality.” If a fiduciary would have access to a tangible asset, that fiduciary will also have access to a similar type of digital asset. UFADAA governs four common types of fiduciaries: personal representatives of a deceased person’s estate; guardians or conservators of a protected person’s estate; agents under a power of attorney; and trustees.
But don’t worry, if you want to hide embarrassing e-mail messages or make sure that no one knows about your online shenanigans (we’re not judging) then this proposed legislation covers those situations too.
Just remember: if you don’t want the kids to know about it, then don’t do it online.
You can read the bill here.
Unless, of course, we’re all just living in a digital simulation.
Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act Approved A new act approved today by a national law group provides comprehensive provisions governing access to digital…