Google's inactive account manager

[rorz0r]

This feature of google seems to be a little known feature and I think it may have been silently added recently.

Basically if you go to your Account settings then "Data Tools" you can set it up to hand over access to someone else should you not access your account for 3 months (like because you're dead).

https://www.google.com/settings/datatools?ref=home

Inactive Account Manager

What should happen to your photos, emails and documents when you stop using your account? Google puts you in control.
You might want your data to be shared with a trusted friend or family member, or, you might want your account to be deleted entirely. There are many situations that might prevent you from accessing or using your Google account. Whatever the reason, we give you the option of deciding what happens to your data.

Using Inactive Account Manager, you can decide if and when your account is treated as inactive, what happens with your data and who is notified.

Just something handy that you may want to set up now. I think a lot of people on here have a gmail.com email address and that could be used to reset your password on a number of other sites, if you're planning on handing over your account to someone else (spouse, friend, family, etc). Or you might just want to delete everything but that sucks a a bit if you make a whole lot of awesome youtube vids, then you die and they just disappear.

 

[Maverick Jester]

This is the biggest problem with Google's services. They roll out all of these features over the course of the year, and never announce them.

Compared that to Apple that publicly rolls out a huge list of features once a year, with the fanfare to match. It's why people perceive Apple as innovators and Google as copyists / stagnant.

 

[rorz0r]

Apple will bring the same thing out in a year or two.... (to much fanfare of course)

Everything of google's is unannounced as it's still in beta

 

[Maverick Jester]

Everything of google's is unannounced as it's still in beta

Ah yes, I had forgotten that