What happens to your purchases when you die

[The Watcher 69]

Apple recently rolled out a "digital legacy" service that allows your next of kin access to your iCloud data when you die. But it doesn't include licensed content. And for those of us amassing a large library of movie and TV purchases, that's a problem.

Is anyone concerned that their purchases will be forfeited in the event of their death? Or are you thinking there could be legal changes that allow them to become part of your estate?

Or will you just be content to make DRM-free backups and/or give your next of kin your password to continue accessing your account?

(Years ago there were reports Bruce Willis was suing Apple for the right to pass on his purchases to his children, but those have since been debunked.)

[-Gonzo-]

Well my kids have zero interest in anything that’s in my library while I’m alive so I’d guess they’d have even less interest once I’m gone Lol.
Simple solution is if you really do want your nearest and dearest to have access to your purchases is to just leave them your AppleID and Password details.

[The Watcher 69]

^ True on both counts!

[FilmMan85]

I just assumed that anyone with my AppleID and password can access my iCloud and purchases.

How would Apple know that a customer had died?

[slimdude]

When you pass away, your digital library and service will be remain open or closed by your surviving relative, to whomever you appoint to be executive of your estate and your inheritors to in your Last Will & Testament. When you die, nothing on this earth will matter to you anymore because you will be deceased.

[Lee A Stewart]

Originally Posted by slimdude

When you pass away, your digital library and service will be remain open or closed by your surviving relative, to whomever you appoint to be executive of your estate and your inheritance to in your Last Will & Testament. When you die, nothing on this earth will matter anymore because you will be gone.

That doesn't make legal sense. You don't own your digital library. It has no tangible value, so how could it be left in a will?

You have a 2019 Corvette which is on a 36 month lease, you die with 6 more payments left on the lease. The leasing company owns the car. If payments are not made, they will come take the car away and sue the estate for the remaining payments. If someone pays the remaining 6 payments, they have continued use of the car. When the lease expires, the car is returned to the leasing company.

You pay to use the car. There is no ownership, implied or intended. Same with a digital library except it's a one time payment.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by Lee A Stewart

That doesn't make legal sense. You don't own your digital library. It has no tangible value, so how could it be left in a will?

You've completely misinterpreted. Read it again.

[aggrobot]

Access rights granted to your account (through purchases, etc) for content are non-transferable, and are terminated upon receipt of your death certificate.

If you dont want those rights terminated, seems you’d want to setup a way for your loved ones to get in to this account upon your expiration, and that death certificate probably shouldn’t make it to apple.

[aggrobot]

Originally Posted by slimdude

When you pass away, your digital library and service will be remain open or closed by your surviving relative, to whomever you appoint to be executive of your estate and your inheritors to in your Last Will & Testament. When you die, nothing on this earth will matter to you anymore because you will be deceased.

You cannot legally transfer your itunes purchases to anyone else per the itunes agreement. the only way to preserve these purchases would be to setup a way for loved ones to have access to your account upon death.

[FilmMan85]

Originally Posted by The Watcher 69

Apple recently rolled out a "digital legacy" service that allows your next of kin access to your iCloud data when you die. But it doesn't include licensed content. And for those of us amassing a large library of movie and TV purchases, that's a problem.

Is anyone concerned that their purchases will be forfeited in the event of their death? Or are you thinking there could be legal changes that allow them to become part of your estate?

Or will you just be content to make DRM-free backups and/or give your next of kin your password to continue accessing your account?

(Years ago there were reports Bruce Willis was suing Apple for the right to pass on his purchases to his children, but those have since been debunked.)

I never pay attention to terms and conditions.

My sister has my iTunes password and so do my two of my nieces. They can watch whatever they want and if I kick the bucket they can keep access.

Apple would terminate when they found out in dead but they won’t find out because no one has any reason to tell them.

[JayTL]

Same thing that happens to my physical belongings:
1. Who cares I'm dead
2. Garbage

lol

[BuckarooBanzai]

Originally Posted by FilmMan85

I just assumed that anyone with my AppleID and password can access my iCloud and purchases.

How would Apple know that a customer had died?

When the customer's credit card is cancelled?

[-Gonzo-]

Originally Posted by BuckarooBanzai

When the customer's credit card is cancelled?

My US account has no payment method, buy everything with iTunes credit.
UK account has my debit card but in reality it doesn’t have to be my debit card on file as can use anyones providing they’ve given permission.

[FilmMan85]

Originally Posted by BuckarooBanzai

When the customer's credit card is cancelled?

People cancel credit all the time and their debit card details can change.

Apple doesn’t react as if that have died.

[FilmMan85]

Originally Posted by JayTL

Same thing that happens to my physical belongings:
1. Who cares I'm dead
2. Garbage

lol

You think no one will care when you die?

[Chumley]

Originally Posted by slimdude

When you die, nothing on this earth will matter to you anymore because you will be deceased.

Wow. That's, like, really deep, man.

[CrowKiller]

Buy physical. Problem solved. Then when you die, your loved ones can have your stuff, without corporate scumbaggery to deal with. If they don't want your stuff, then they can at least sell it to make money to help with a funeral or whatever. Can't do that with digital.

[JayTL]

Originally Posted by FilmMan85

You think no one will care when you die?

I mean I don't care if I'll be dead lol. At least my digital library is in the cloud. So maybe I'll still have access to it in the afterlife.

[turns2stone]

Originally Posted by CrowKiller

Buy physical. Problem solved. Then when you die, your loved ones can have your stuff, without corporate scumbaggery to deal with. If they don't want your stuff, then they can at least sell it to make money to help with a funeral or whatever. Can't do that with digital.

Just the act of sorting through a deceased family member's "stuff" can be a pain. Not to mention the hassle/time involved with selling it, as well as the eventual arguments among family members on who-gets-what.

No one wants your Disney VHS collection, or anything else really. Do everyone a favor and get rid of it or have plans for it after you expire.

[JayTL]

Originally Posted by turns2stone

Just the act of sorting through a deceased family member's "stuff" can be a pain. Not to mention the hassle/time involved with selling it, as well as the eventual arguments among family members on who-gets-what.

No one wants your Disney VHS collection, or anything else really. Do everyone a favor and get rid of it or have plans for it after you expire.

My wife wants me to dump my physical movies to save space. She's not waiting for me to die for the opportunity to get rid of it lmao