"That's something that as a senior person you have to consider now": Unpacking Older Adults' Preferences for End-of-Life Data Planning

What happens to a person’s data after they pass away? Designing for digital legacy requires input from individuals across all life stages, as motivations to plan vary with age. Yet, the specific perspectives that older adults have on end-of-life data management have not been investigated in depth. Through interviews with 16 older adults, we examine their preferences and motivations for managing everyday digital data (e.g., text messages, social media, photos) after death. Our findings surface several implications for end-of-life data planning, including creating awareness about digital legacy and associated risks. We also unpack and discuss how older adults’ life stage and familiarity with end-of-life planning uniquely positions them to identify barriers and opportunities in managing digital legacy, such as how post-mortem data can encode societal norms of a period or be donated for the greater good.