[New Book] Those Who Never Disappear, Even After Death

[Financial News] Online accounts, photos and conversation records remain even after a person dies. In “Those Who Never Disappear, Even After Death,” Carl Öhman, who studies the digital afterlife, asks who should decide whether posthumous data is preserved or deleted.
Through examples such as AI chatbots created from the traces of the deceased and a father’s records preserved in a game, the book examines everyday encounters between the dead and the living. It also analyzes services offered by companies that turn remembrance and mourning into a business model, as well as how technology companies manage the information of the deceased.
Personal records are family memories, but they are also materials that future generations can use to understand the past. The author points out that a deceased person’s wish to have their data deleted may conflict with the value of preserving historical records. The author presents the choice of which memories to pass on to future generations as an issue for society to address together, beyond individuals and bereaved families. Translated by Lee Young-a.
[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter