Prax | Virtual Thoughts

This topic started off when I read an article about the companies that are now giving their users the options to control their digital assets, should something unexpected and untoward happen to them. With similar thoughts in my mind I started to check on what happens to my Google account? services like Gmail, Search history, Google Plus etc after I stop using it or I no longer exist.

Google has something called Inactive Account Manager that gives you control on how your personal and private data is handled if it is inactive for a long period of time or if you cease to exist. Although, Google does not explicitly mention it I believe this is targeted towards giving you control of what happens to your data after your death rather than long period of inactive use. If you want to close your account, you would anyways do it instantly but death is uncertain! Also it is a painful process for the near and dear ones in accessing digital assets of their loved ones, post their death.

You would first need to enable this service and set a Timeout period. The Timeout period defines the inactive time from the date of last sign-in to any of the Google service. It currently varies from 3 months to 18 months and the choice is yours on the timeout period. You will then need to decide if you want to share your data or delete your data. You can even set up auto responders to the emails received after the inactive period.

If you want to share your data, you can provide contact details of upto 10 of your trusted family and friends who will receive your data. Once the end of timeout period is reached, the actions are initiated based on your choice (share or delete). Here is how it works:

Decide if you want to share data with Friends and Family or Delete all your Google Services
You set the Timeout Period (3 months to 18 months)
Alert Me feature sends a notification once the Timeout Period is approaching
Notifies the trusted Friends or Family added about the Timeout
Or your data is deleted

To enable this feature either click on the link above or Go to your Google Account > Data Tools > Inactive Account Manager

Although it is not called as Google Afterlife, I just thought it would be an apt term 🙂

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Microsoft recently released an infographic to show how its Outlook and Outlook Web Access 2013 fared in comparison to the features currently available in Gmail. Some of the features that Microsoft claims are better in comparison to Gmail include Offline Access Of Emails, ability to view team and hierarchical organization information via Active Directory integration, Calendar Delegation, Information Rights Management, Document Fingerprinting, native Data Loss Prevention, Delivery Reports and etc. Although you could still use clients like Thunderbird to configure any email service provider for offline access, it’s not a built-in feature for Gmail, and is possible using the Chrome Browser.

Features like Message recall have long been there in Microsoft Exchange (using clients like Outlook). Gmail still lacks this feature, however there is a workaround using which you can cancel the sending of message or recall them (maximum time delay of 30 seconds). If using a client like Thunderbird, you could use Send Later plugin that adds a time delay. (hat tip to Eyeonwindows).

To download the infographic:

Click here for image
For PDF click here

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Virtual Thoughts

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Google Afterlife, Control How Your Google Data Is Handled After Your Death

Outlook Vs Gmail Features Comparison In Infographic