On the 13th local time, Apple introduced a function that allows family and acquaintances to access iPhone accounts when a user dies through the iOS 15.2 update of the iPhone operating system worldwide.
If iPhone users designate in advance who can access their iPhone and iCloud, they can transfer the right (access key) to manage personal information such as photos, videos, and phone numbers stored on the iPhone after the user dies. can.
This privilege can be assigned to up to 5 people, and they are called 'Heritage Administrators'.
For privacy reasons, Apple has been blocking access to iPhone personal accounts even at the request of immediate family members.
Governments around the world, including the United States, have also rejected requests to unlock iPhones for criminal suspects for investigation purposes.
However, recently, social discussions about 'Digital Legacy' have been actively conducted, and Apple has largely allowed access to iPhone information through an update.
▲ Heritage Manager tab screenshot
As many parts of our lives shift to the online environment, the number of cases where we leave more personal information online than offline and communicate with others through messengers and e-mails has absolutely increased. In this regard, IT companies are introducing services for processing users' digital heritage.
Previously, on April 11, 2013, Google launched and operated a so-called 'digital will' service that allows users to pre-set how their digital legacy will be handled after their death.
This service, called 'Inactive Account Manager', allows Google subscribers to set the time when they become inactive accounts in advance in units of 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. Various types of data can be inherited or completely deleted by designated people such as family and friends. This feature is applied to all sites operated by Google, such as Gmail, YouTube, and Google Drive.
Tencent, which operates China's largest messenger WeChat, also recently started providing a service that allows you to transfer your game assets to a specific person if there is a will of a deceased person.
Looking at the case of domestic IT companies, in the case of Naver Blog, when a user dies, the published posts are deleted upon request by the bereaved family, but Naver account ID and password and private usage information are not disclosed.
In Kakao, the contents of KakaoTalk conversations that are locked with a password or set to a secret room cannot be viewed, even by the bereaved family.
Currently, according to the Korea Information and Communications Network Act and Personal Information Protection Act, no one can exercise the right to personal data online after the person dies for privacy reasons. It is known that there is no problem under domestic laws.
This is a 'news pick'.
What is Digital Heritage?
Like a keepsake, it refers to the traces left on a digital space such as a smartphone or online.
Posts, photos, videos, comments left on the mini-hompy, blog, items acquired from online games, and data stored on smartphones are all applicable.
(Photo = Yonhap News)