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AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, file

Google lets users decide what happens to their email after they die

Google is the first major company to let people decide what happens to emails, photographs, blogs and social networks if their account becomes inactive.

GOOGLE IS TO let users decide what happens to their data after they die or stop using their account.

In a new feature called Inactive Account Manager, users can choose what happens to their emails, photographs, videos, blogs, social networks and other Google services if their account becomes inactive.

Users can decide to have their data deleted after a certain period of inactivity of between 3 months and one year. They can also choose to have some or all of their data sent to up to ten people they know.

The service applies to Gmail, Google + profiles, Picasa albums, YouTube, Blogger, Google Drive, Google Pages and Google Voice.

“We hope that this new feature will enable you to play your digital afterlife – in a way that protects your privacy and security – and make life easier for your loved ones after you’re gone,” Google said in a blog post.

The issue of what happens to data stored by people after their death has become an issue in recent years as the number of people storing personal information on sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Google has surged.

The Inactive Account Manager can be accessed from the Google Account settings page. Google says it will warn users by sending a text message and email to a secondary address before its systems take any action.

Read: Google Play brings music to Irish ears >

Read: 11 Google products and services you never knew existed >

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23 Comments
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    Mute shellakybooky
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    Jul 26th 2018, 11:56 AM

    Gardai never done anything to stop the scourge that family put on dunmore. Bunch of tramps robbing and terrorising the village. It takes now for someone to get killed to put an end to this. Blood is on the gards hands. May that man rip what a horrible tragedy again. Life seems to have no value these days

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    Mute James O Carroll
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    Jul 26th 2018, 10:04 AM

    so many young people these days committing crimes. and most victims are men too. men need to make their own movements say that enough is enough

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    Mute Ole dan tucker
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    Jul 26th 2018, 10:19 AM

    Rough part of the town

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    Mute Martina Mc Carthy
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    Jul 26th 2018, 11:39 AM

    This photo is not shanakiel please remove

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    Mute Ronan Sexton
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    Jul 26th 2018, 12:52 PM

    Meanwhile, you have Michael Clifford over on The Examiner cribbing about the guards stopping and searching scrotes. The never ending, utter stupidity of the PC half wits never ceases to amaze me.

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    Mute Martina Mc Carthy
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    Jul 26th 2018, 11:35 AM

    That photo is not shanakiel remove please

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    Mute francie brady
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    Jul 26th 2018, 6:04 PM

    He will be the 5th teenager arrested/ charged with murder this summer – it’s out of control folks.

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    Mute Eadaoin Cummings
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    Jul 26th 2018, 11:45 AM

    What the actual f%ck.. Do kids not know how to go out and enjoy themselves nowadays!! Never in my life have I carried a weapon.. I’m a worried parent, not because of my son, but because of the absolute idiots who can’t use their fists.. Disgusting a life gone and for what??

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    Mute Lynda Jones
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    Jul 26th 2018, 9:48 PM

    @Eadaoin Cummings: fists can kill, too. And have done.

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