Digital legacies: game licenses and access to family photos have different rules
Related to October 25 commentary; no new inheritance law or terms change is claimed. Official terms and guidance checked October 26.
IllustrationFollowing October 25 commentary, we checked Steam's terms and Apple's Legacy Contact guidance. Accounts, licensed games and stored photographs are not handled identically.
Read for 8 seconds to inform recommendations.Reading history & counting settings
Related to October 25 commentary; no new inheritance law or terms change is claimed. Official terms and guidance checked October 26.
Buying a game and transferring an account
The commentary discussed downloaded games and paid items. Steam's official agreement treats accounts as personal and restricts transfers of accounts and subscriptions, except where explicitly permitted. A purchase history alone does not establish that another person may use the account.
Photo access has boundaries too
Apple allows users to name a Legacy Contact for certain data after death. Purchased movies, music and books, and Keychain passwords are among the exclusions. Requests require an access key and proof of death; Japanese guidance specifies a family-register document recording the death. Check each service's scope and process rather than assuming handing over a password resolves everything.
Sources & further reading
Our own summary based on the public information below.
This is a record of information available at publication. Later reports may change the details. Check the source for current weather, safety and market information.
