In today’s digital society, so many of life’s experiences happen online. Stored in the Cloud, locked away in a mobile device, are the pictures, videos, files, conversations and crypto passwords that are central to our daily existence — and often define us.
With many of these assets, privacy and security is paramount. But there are other images, documents and files that we hope someday to pass on to loved ones.
An exciting new startup has emerged to fill this need.
Winnipeg-based Revenant Systems, Inc. has created a remarkable new app it calls ADAM (All-life Digital Asset Manager). Like the original Adam, it’s the first of its kind. ADAM enables users to securely upload their digital legacies and, when the time is right, release assets to specified individuals through its innovative Executor Key and Release Timer features.
Upon entering the Executor Key into the app, the Release Timer will initiate, notifying the account owner for a predetermined duration, allowing time to decline access to the account if the user is still alive. This feature provides peace of mind, the reassurance that your assets will be handled as you wish, securely and efficiently.
The app seems destined to become an important part of modern estate planning. Michael Okoye, co-founder and CEO of ADAM, predicts: “We believe this technology will eventually become as commonplace as two-factor authentication.”
The need to secure a digital legacy is the next logical step in an online revolution that has transformed industries, refashioned lifestyles and redefined language.
One example is a new trend in family law, in which separating couples now fight over ownership of social media accounts. Courts find themselves confronted with perplexing new questions, such as: Who owns family photos online or in the Cloud? What will deleting them mean to members of the family?
“The pictures are not just about you,” Marian Grande, a family mediator and divorce coach in Ontario, observed in an article appearing in Psychology Today. “They are about a family. Your family. Your kids. One day your adult children will likely want to show their own children a piece of their family history. Deleting photos is like deleting a part of who they are. It is essentially deleting the documentation of the family tree.”
This may seem to be an extreme case, but the truth is that for many of us, an important legacy is the treasures we store on mobile devices, iPads, desktops, and across vast networks of servers. We don’t want these assets to live on in a zombie state, with no one ever able to access or modify our accounts once we’re gone. But we also want to maintain a level of control over access.
ADAM’s creators say the app can help prevent days of frustration that your family, accountants and estate attorneys may encounter when they seek to access important online files. Rather than trying to guess the answers to your security questions, they will receive critical data and priceless photos when they want it, exactly as you have specified.
ADAM is not just about the hereafter; it’s also a useful resource for the here and now. It’s a practical solution for organizing and accessing your digital life on a daily basis. With ADAM, anyone can categorize and store irreplaceable memories, such as photos, videos, and audio recordings, ensuring they are organized and accessible.
ADAM is making it possible for users to take charge of their digital legacies, ensuring that cherished memories and important files are not only protected, but live on.
The All-life Digital Asset Manager is available as a free download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
