OpenID Foundation advocates digital estate standards

The OpenID Foundation (OIDF), a global standards organization that supports technologies used by billions for online access, is urging urgent collaboration to address a vital issue faced by every internet user: the management of digital accounts after death. In a newly released whitepaper titled The Unfinished Digital Estate, co-authored by Dean H. Saxe, Mike Kiser, Eve Maler, and Heather Flanagan, the OIDF highlights systemic gaps in policies and practices across various platforms and jurisdictions regarding digital assets.

The report underscores that as email accounts, cryptocurrencies, social media profiles, and cloud libraries often outlive their owners, there is a notable absence of consistent global standards to protect or grant access to these online assets after the owner's death. “This issue affects every internet user eventually, yet platforms treat death as an edge case," explained Dean H. Saxe, founder and co-chair of the OIDF's Death and Digital Estate (DADE) Community Group. Saxe added that “we have standards for authentication, authorization, and digital consent. We need the same coordinated approach for what happens when users die, before AI deepfakes make this even more complicated.”

The necessity of establishing such standards is heightened by the increasing capabilities of artificial intelligence, which now has the ability to generate posthumous avatars and deepfakes. This raises significant concerns over consent and control, with unresolved legal disputes arising from unauthorized reproductions of deceased individuals. The lack of cohesive frameworks makes the management of these issues even more challenging, especially given cultural variations in privacy, grief, and remembrance.

The whitepaper outlines essential actions that need to be taken by multiple sectors. Policymakers must formally recognise digital assets in inheritance law, clarify identity rights and privacy protections posthumously, and establish frameworks for cross-border digital property. Technology platforms are encouraged to go beyond mere credential sharing, implementing proper systems for on-behalf-of delegation, and to provide users with adequate controls over posthumous data usage. Moreover, standards bodies should focus on designing interoperable delegation protocols and ensuring that solutions respect cultural diversity.

In addition to the report, the OpenID Foundation has issued a Digital Estate Planning Guide that serves as a practical resource for both individuals and those who advise them in managing digital assets. However, the guide acknowledges that challenges still exist due to the lack of interoperability among platforms, meaning that accessing an account can conflict with laws or terms of service, even if it aligns with the wishes of the account holder.

While there are commendable initiatives, like guardianship credentials from Sovrin and delegation frameworks from the Kantara Initiative, these efforts remain fragmented. The OIDF's DADE Community Group is actively seeking contributions from government agencies, legal services, insurance providers, financial services, healthcare, technology, and the death care sector to devise comprehensive standards.

Throughout 2026, DADE Community Group representatives will be accessible for discussions at various industry events. These sessions aim to foster collaboration and address sector-specific challenges, further pushing the agenda for improved digital estate management. Industry professionals interested in engaging with DADE representatives or exploring the framework are encouraged to connect at these events, with details available online. For organisations keen to contribute to the standards development, more information can be found on the OIDF’s website or by contacting them via email at help@oidf.org.

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