Have you thought about your digital legacy?

Talk by Ian Forrester (He/him) ⚠️

Sunday from 10:00 AM - 10:20 AM in Stage A

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This talk has the following content notes:
Contains frank conversations about death

Death is inevitable, yet our digital infrastructure remains woefully unprepared for it. While traditional "Letters of Wishes" provide a static roadmap for executors, they lack the agency to interact with our complex, data-driven lives. This workshop introduces the concept of the Machine-Readable Letter of Wishes: a framework for post-mortem autonomy. By applying a "If This, Then That" (IFTTT) logic to digital legacies, we will explore how to automate final wishes across various services, ensuring data is handled with human dignity and precision. Traditionally, a Letter of Wishes is a physical document offering non-binding guidance to those named in a will. However, in an era of encrypted accounts, fragmented cloud storage and AI. Paper often falls short. This workshop moves from the philosophical to the practical: * Defining the digital legacy: Identifying the specific data points, social accounts, and assets that constitute a modern legacy. * Pipe mapping: Applying IFTTT methodology to personal wishes (e.g., "If I am inactive for 12 months, then transfer my photo archive to named person * Exploring autonomy: Discussing the ethical implications of automated execution and how it can alleviate the "administrative burden of grief" for executors. In the workshop people will gain a foundational understanding of how automation can protect digital rights and dignity, starting that important conversation that benefits individuals, their loved ones, and society. Slides here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kkj5yof0MJ9kgkj0FI8S_Dd5aAgJXF0e7mVf2yMUrT0/edit?usp=sharing

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