A BLACK Country lawyer is urging people to plan for online life after their death to avoid being ‘dead social’.

Ian Bond, a partner at Brierley Hill-based law firm Higgs & Sons, says as social media and e-shopping become a greater part of our lives people must leave clear instructions on what happens to their media profile when they die.

Mr Bond spoke at a recent conference in London on how people should handle their digital legacy and he has some advice on the sometimes taboo topic of wills and how people digitise death.

He said: “This is a fascinating topic, and one which impacts on almost everyone on the planet.

“The law is constantly trying to keep pace with the ever-changing digital landscape and the implications of what happens to an individual’s digital portfolio once they have died.

“The conference explored some of the issues which are becoming ever more important as our reliance on the digital world increases.

“The medical speakers were particularly interesting, explaining how they embrace digital technology and social media when dealing with end of life patients.

“Of the other more unusual topics covered were virtual wakes with webcams streaming live footage onto social media from inside the funeral home, the growing trend for cemetery tours and the posting of selfies on the graves of ‘dead famous’ occupants.”

He added there is a serious side to the subject and people need to consider whether they have any accounts which can only be accessed online, whether they have anything of sentimental value stored online and how surviving family members can access email and social media accounts.

Mr Bond said: “You need to appoint an executor who knows how to deal with your digital assets.”

He says a suitable digital executor should be tech savvy, trustworthy and willing to follow the deceased wishes and be patient, organised and ready to pay attention to details.