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Artificial intelligence not always helpful for reducing doctor burnout, studies suggest

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The use of generative AI may not be helpful in reducing burnout in health care, new research suggests.

Previous research indicated that increased time spent using electronic health record (EHR) systems and handling administrative responsibilities has been a burden on doctors.

So some people had heralded artificial intelligence as a potential solution — yet recent investigations by U.S. health systems found that large language models (LLMs) did not simplify clinicians’ day-to-day responsibilities.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

For instance, a 2023 observational study at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, examined the impact of using AI for electronic patient messaging.

Researchers prompted a large language model to respond to simulated questions from cancer patients — then compared its output to responses from six board-certified radiation oncologists.

Medical professionals then edited the AI-generated responses into “clinically acceptable” answers to send to patients.

New studies suggest that generative AI might not help burnout among physicians, as had been previously thought. (iStock)

The study, published in The Lancet Digital Health, found that the LLM drafts posed “a risk of severe harm in 11 of 156 survey responses, and death in one survey response.”

“The majority of harmful responses were due to incorrectly determining or conveying the acuity of the scenario and recommended action,” the researchers wrote.

FIRST-EVER AUGMENTED REALITY ABDOMINAL SURGERY PERFORMED IN CHILE: ‘A REVOLUTION’

The researchers concluded that LLM-assisted results (those edited by physicians) displayed a “best-of-both-worlds scenario” — reducing physician workload while ensuring that patients get accurate information.

“These early findings … indicate the need to thoroughly evaluate LLMs in their intended clinical contexts, reflecting the precise task and level of human oversight,” the study concluded.

female doctor inputs patient info

Researchers concluded that LLM-assisted results displayed a “best-of-both-worlds scenario,” reducing physician workload while ensuring consistency of responses and improving the education of patients. (iStock)

Medical billing codes 

Another study from New York’s Mount Sinai Health System evaluated four different types of large language models for performance and error patterns when querying medical billing codes.

GOOGLE BARD TRANSITIONS TO GEMINI: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE AI UPGRADE

The research, published in the journal NEJM AI, found that all tested LLMs performed poorly on medical code querying, “often generating codes conveying imprecise or fabricated information.” 

The study concluded, “LLMs are not appropriate for use on medical coding tasks without additional research.” The study was funded by the AGA Research Foundation and National Institutes of Health (NIH).

high-tech doctor illustration

One study found that all tested LLMs performed poorly on medical code querying — and that the issue needs further research.  (iStock)

Researchers noted that although these models can “approximate the meaning of many codes,” they also “display an unacceptable lack of precision and a high propensity for falsifying codes.” 

“This has significant implications for billing, clinical decision-making, quality improvement, research and health policy,” the researchers wrote.

Patient messages and physicians’ time

A third JAMA Network-published study, from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, evaluated AI-drafted replies to patient messages and physicians’ time spent editing them.

CHATGPT FOUND BY STUDY TO SPREAD INACCURACIES WHEN ANSWERING MEDICATION QUESTIONS

The assumption was that generative AI drafts would lessen a physician’s time spent doing these tasks — yet the results showed otherwise.

“Generative AI-drafted replies were associated with significantly increased read time, no change in reply time, significantly increased reply length and [only] some perceived benefits,” the study found.

Researchers suggested that “rigorous empirical tests” are needed to further assess AI’s performance and patients’ experiences.

stressed doctor surrounded by tools and technology

In the UC San Diego study, generative AI was found to cause “increased read time, no change in reply time [and] significantly increased reply length” in patient messages. (iStock)

Doctor’s thoughts on AI

David Atashroo, M.D., chief medical officer of Qventus, an AI-powered surgical management solution in Mountain View, California, reacted to the research findings in an interview with Fox News Digital. (He was not involved in the research.)

“We see an immense potential for AI to take on lower-risk, yet highly automatable tasks that traditionally fall on the essential yet often overlooked ‘glue roles’ in health care — such as schedulers, medical assistants, case managers and care navigators,” he said.

“It’s crucial to set realistic expectations about [AI’s] performance.’

“These professionals are crucial in holding together processes that are directly tied to clinical outcomes, yet spend a substantial portion of their time on administrative tasks like parsing faxes, summarizing notes and securing necessary documentation.”

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In automating these tasks, Atashroo suggested that generative AI could help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical care.

“When considering the deployment of generative AI, it’s crucial to set realistic expectations about its performance,” he said. 

“The standard cannot always be perfection, as even the humans currently performing these tasks are not infallible.”

people and doctors walking around a hospital

“The standard cannot always be perfection, as even the humans currently performing these tasks are not infallible,” an AI expert said. (iStock)

In some scenarios, he suggested, AI could help serve as a “safety net” to catch any oversights of team members.

Tasks may sometimes go unaddressed “simply because there isn’t enough time to tackle them,” Atashroo noted.

“Generative AI can help manage cases more consistently than our current capacity allows.”

“When considering the deployment of generative AI, it’s crucial to set realistic expectations about its performance.”

Safety and efficacy are “paramount” in AI applications, the doctor also noted.

“This means not only developing models with rigorous quality checks, but also incorporating regular assessments by human experts to validate their performance,” he said. 

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“This dual-layer verification ensures that our AI solutions are both responsible and reliable before they are scaled.”

Atashroo also noted that “transparency in the development and implementation of AI technologies is essential in building trust among hospital partners and patients.”

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital.

Franklin Templeton CEO says all ETFs and mutual funds will be on blockchain

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Franklin Templeton CEO says all ETFs and mutual funds will be on blockchain

She also warned that generative artificial intelligence was like the “kid that got an ‘F’ in math.”



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Common cooking ingredient could reduce dementia mortality risk, study suggests

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Infusing more olive oil into your diet could pay big dividends for cognitive health and longevity, a new study suggests.

Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and other universities analyzed population health data for more than 92,000 adults over a 28-year period. The participants’ average age was 56 and none of them had heart disease or cancer.

They found that people who consumed over 7 grams a day of olive oil had a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death compared to those who rarely or never consumed it.

EATING ONE POPULAR FRUIT COULD HELP REDUCE YOUR CHANCES OF DEVELOPING DEMENTIA, STUDY FINDS

This was the case regardless of the quality of the person’s diet.

The dietary data was gathered from questionnaires; people reported their frequency of olive oil consumption. 

Researchers then compared that to the rate of dementia death.

Adding more olive oil to your diet could reduce your risk of dementia-related death, a new study suggests. (iStock)

“Substituting olive oil intake for margarine and mayonnaise was associated with lower risk of dementia mortality and may be a potential strategy to improve longevity free of dementia,” the researchers wrote in the study findings. 

THESE ARE THE 8 BEST FRUITS FOR YOUR HEALTH, ACCORDING TO NUTRITIONISTS

“These findings extend the current dietary recommendations of choosing olive oil and other vegetable oils to the context of cognitive health and related mortality.”

The benefits of consuming olive oil come from its antioxidant properties, according to Lindsay Allan, registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Back in Balance Nutrition, LLC, in Tampa Bay, Florida.

Allan was not involved in the Harvard study.

woman dresses salad with oil

The benefits of consuming olive oil come from its antioxidant properties, a nutritionist pointed out. (iStock)

“Oxidative stress is one of the main root causes of disease — this is why we always talk about consuming plenty of antioxidant-rich foods that have the capability to ‘quench’ those free radicals or ‘oxidants’ that are causing damage to our cells,” she told Fox News Digital. 

“Extra virgin olive oil is one of those foods that are super high in phenolic compounds, which act as potent antioxidants in the body,” she continued.

MEDITERRANEAN, MIND DIETS SHOWN TO REDUCE SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER’S IN THE BRAIN, STUDY FINDS

“So it makes sense that consuming olive oil frequently — as opposed to those highly oxidized, processed seed oils that we find all over grocery stores — would mitigate the damage to the neurons caused by oxidative stress.”

Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, who practices as The Lupus Dietitian, was not involved in the study but commented on the health benefits of olive oil.

Pan

“A higher omega-3 intake is known to reduce dementia and cognitive decline,” said a registered dietitian nutritionist. (iStock)

“Olive oil is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, a nutritious fat that many people don’t consume enough of,” she told Fox News Digital.  

“A higher omega-3 intake is known to reduce dementia and cognitive decline. It’s great to see the association between consuming olive oil, a great source of omega 3s, and a reduced risk of dementia.”

“It would be wonderful if a particular food could delay or prevent Alzheimer’s disease, but we do not have scientific evidence that these claims are true.”

Experts from the Alzheimer’s Association noted that the study had “significant limitations.”

“This study looked at people’s health records, death records, diet, and food frequency questionnaires to try to identify possible connections between specific food intake and risk of dementia-related death,” noted Rebecca M. Edelmayer, PhD, senior director of scientific engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association.

“It is not an intervention study where some people ate olive oil and some didn’t — which is the ‘gold standard’ for the way a treatment clinical trial is conducted. That means this study can show an association or connection between two things, but can’t prove cause and effect.”

Dementia doctor with patient

Many factors beyond diet contribute to dementia risk, experts agreed. (iStock)

Edelmayer also noted that death records may not be a reliable determination of dementia mortality, because dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are often “underreported” as a cause of death.

There is also a need for studies among wider populations, Edelmayer added, as this one mainly focused on non-Hispanic White people.

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“There is good, quality evidence that consuming more olive oil and similar vegetable oils and less animal fats has health benefits, in particular heart health benefits,” she said. 

“It would be wonderful if a particular food could delay or prevent Alzheimer’s disease, but we do not have scientific evidence that these claims are true. We need randomized controlled clinical trials to evaluate whether any foods have a scientifically proven beneficial effect.”

Close up shot of a woman holding a plate of fresh green salad in the beautiful morning light. She's holding a fork and she's about to eat the vegetarian food. Healthy eating and diet concept. Shallow depth of field with focus on the fork.

“In addition to olive oil intake, people should still aim to exercise regularly … and consume other healthy foods for the most protection against developing dementia,” a nutritionist advised. (iStock)

Experts agree that a multitude of factors come into play when assessing dementia risk.

“In addition to olive oil intake, people should still aim to exercise regularly, keep up with hobbies that stimulate their mind, and consume other healthy foods for the most protection against developing dementia,” Frierich said.

ALZHEIMER’S RISK IS REDUCED AMONG WOMEN WHO FOLLOW THE DASH DIET IN THEIR 40S, STUDY FINDS

“Additionally, other habits like smoking and alcohol use or health conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol can contribute to the development of dementia.”

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It’s also important to maintain regularly scheduled doctors’ appointments to manage other health risks, according to the experts.

Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for additional comment.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

SEC, Ripple case nears conclusion, Grayscale withdraws ETF filing, and more: Hodler’s Digest, May 5-11

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SEC, Ripple case nears conclusion, Grayscale withdraws ETF filing, and more: Hodler’s Digest, May 5-11

SEC files final response in its case against Ripple, Grayscale withdraws futures ETH ETF filing, and dormant BTC wallet wakes up after 10 years.



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Biden’s arms embargo on Israel ’emboldens’ Hamas missile strikes against Jewish state

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JERUSALEM—After President Biden gave his ultimatum of withholding offensive weapons to the Jewish state if Israel were to launch an invasion of Rafah, rocket attacks rained down on Israel on Friday from Rafah, with more rockets fired on Saturday.

Hamas launched rockets from Rafah at the southern Israeli city of Beersheva on Friday for the first time since December, as Iranian proxy Hezbollah sent a barrage of rockets into the northern Israel city of Kiryat Shmona, causing a massive fire. Within the Gaza Strip on Friday, four Israeli soldiers were killed.

“When administration officials attacked or berated Israel publicly previously during the war, Hamas hardened its demands in return for releasing hostages, in fact delaying and minimizing the chances of success of the delicate negotiation,” Jonathan Conricus told Fox News Digital. Conricus served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for 24 years as a combat commander in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

UN, HUMAN RIGHTS, MEDIA GROUPS RELY ON HAMAS DEATH TOLL IN ‘SYSTEMATIC DECEPTION’: EXPERT

The aftermath of a Hezbollah rocket barrage in the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona on May 10, 2024. Credit Erez Bar Simon/TPS-IL (Erez Bar Simon/TPS-IL)

“When Israel’s enemies detect tension between the U.S. and its most loyal and steadfast ally in the region, Israel, it emboldens them to attack Israel more and continue with their tactics of using human shields, since they understand that the U.S. will eventually punish Israel for defending itself, regardless of Hamas and Hezbollah’s actions.” 

Conricus, who served as an IDF spokesman during the Gaza war and is now a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies added, “In the short term, these American statements will lead to enhanced violence and fighting, since they embolden Israel’s enemies. In the long term, they may push another American Middle Eastern ally away from the U.S. sphere of influence, and reinforce concerns harbored by many U.S. partners about the quality and steadfastness of U.S. support when needed the most.”

IDF Beersheva Hamas Rockets

On Friday the IDF said that “five launches were identified crossing from central Gaza toward the area of Beersheva.” Nine additional launches were identified crossing from the area of Rafah toward the city and fell in open areas, the IDF stated. (Screenshot: IDF Spokesman’s Unit.) (IDF Spokesman’s Unit)

America’s former Ambassador to Israel during the Trump administration, David Friedman, posted a blunt message on X about the new Biden policy: “Hamas now firing rockets from Rafah into Beersheva — Israel’s largest southern city. Why wouldn’t they? — they have no fear of a reprisal. Biden has emboldened Hamas!”

Fox News Digital reported that many Israelis view Biden’s pause of weapons deliveries to be a betrayal of his assurance that he backs the Jewish state with an “ironclad” security promise.

Gen. Jack Keane (Ret.) told Fox & Friends on Friday that Biden is “walking away from Israel,” and called Biden’s decision “stunning.”

The enemies of Israel and America are closely watching Biden’s decision to reportedly create daylight between the U.S. and the Mideast’s only democracy, Israel. 

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SILENT OVER HAMAS’ USE OF GAZA HOSPITAL AS TERROR HQ

IDF Forces preparing for possible Rafah campaign

IDF forces stand ready in southern Israel near the Gaza border for a possible ground offensive in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah to continue fighting Hamas and disbanding its battalions. Southern Israel, May 1, 2024. Photo by Noam Shaar/TPS (Photo by Noam Shaar/TPS)

On Thursday, John Kirby, the White House National Security Communications Adviser, said the U.S. was fully behind Israel. “The arguments that somehow we’re walking away from Israel fly in the face of the facts. I mean, this is a president who visited Israel within days of the October 7th attacks. This is a president who rushed additional military articles to Israel and, frankly, provided expertise from our own military to go over there to help them as they thought through their planning and their operation,” he told reporters at the White House.

Kirby continued “this is a president who put American pilots — fighter pilots — in the sky to help shoot down more than 300 missiles and drones fired by Iran in . . . mid-April. So the argument that somehow we’re walking away from Israel, we’re not willing to help them defeat Hamas just doesn’t . . . comport with the facts.”

Matthew Levitt, the director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at The Washington Institute, told Fox News Digital, “By default, working arms before hostages—including U.S. hostages—are released, and after Hamas’ bad faith behavior in negotiations, could embolden both Hamas and Hezbollah.”

Hamas has over 100 hostages in its captivity, including Americans. The terrorist mastermind behind Hamas’ massacre of nearly 1,200 people, including over 30 Americans, Yahya Sinwar is believed to be using hostages as human shields to hold off Israeli soldiers seeking to capture him in a tunnel deep below Gaza.

Hamas terrorists in Gaza

Palestinian Hamas terrorists are seen during a military show in the Bani Suheila district on July 20, 2017, in Gaza City, Gaza. A protester at Stanford University with a headband similar to the one worn by Hamas members was seen on an image submitted to the FBI.  (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

The State Department did not answer questions about whether Biden’s blockage of offensive weapons to Israel emboldens Hamas and Hezbollah. 

On Thursday, spokesman Matthew Miller said, “What the President made clear is that we have concerns about a potential military operation in Rafah. I don’t think that’s any secret. We’ve been making those concerns known publicly, and we have made those concerns quite clear to the Government of Israel. And as the President noted, there are certain types of military assistance that we will not make available to Israel for use in a campaign in Rafah,” said Miller.

The Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) published a letter from a who’s who of retired U.S. military leaders, criticizing Biden’s arms directive. “Amid surging antisemitism in America and the world, following the largest one-day loss of innocent Jewish life since the Holocaust, U.S. support for the only Jewish state should be clear, unwavering, and not conditioned. The benefits of this partnership for the American people and this important region are many, and too valuable to forsake.”

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Bibi, Biden

President Biden in between a photo of an IDF tank and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (AP, Getty Images)

The letter added: “America must support Israel as it restores its security, shattered on October 7, against Iran and its terrorist proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen that all seek to destroy the Jewish state. These forces are also enemies of the United States and everything we stand for. 

“This Iranian-backed axis of terror, as well as other adversaries and allies around the world, are watching closely to see whether the United States will stand by one of its closest allies fighting in self-defense, even when the going gets tough.”

Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former National Security Council official, warned, “There’s zero doubt that Iran and Hezbollah are going to escalate the longer this illegitimate embargo drags on. Our shared enemies feed on the perception of space between the United States and Israel, and the projection of weakness and desperation in both capitals.”

Fox News Digital press queries to the White House and Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister’s Office were not immediately returned.

Bitcoin still lacks $60K support as BTC price nears $100M liquidity zone

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Bitcoin still lacks K support as BTC price nears 0M liquidity zone

Bitcoin traders are upping the stakes amid a tightly rangebound few days for BTC price action.



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OKX Ventures invests in Web3 ‘play ARPG to train AI’ game Blade of God X

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OKX Ventures invests in Web3 ‘play ARPG to train AI’ game Blade of God X

The game is currently available in early access on the Epic Games Store.



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Bitcoin volatility plunges below Tesla, Nvidia stocks amid $100K price prediction

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Bitcoin volatility plunges below Tesla, Nvidia stocks amid 0K price prediction

Lower Bitcoin market volatility often precedes significant bull runs, suggesting that the current trend could propel prices toward the $100,000 to $150,000 range.



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JPMorgan’s Onyx to industrialize blockchain PoCs from Project Guardian

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JPMorgan’s Onyx to industrialize blockchain PoCs from Project Guardian

Traditional firms like JPMorgan and WisdomTree are seeking to turn Project Guardian’s blockchain proofs-of-concept into scalable financial products.



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One day you’ll leave this earth, but your data will live on in a messy future

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So much of how we live and interact with the world happens online. From engaging with people professionally and personally, to posting photos, storing files and accessing our bank account information, this all represents what’s known as our “digital legacy.”

What happens to all of this after we pass away? Unlike physical items that we may pass on after we die, such as photos, jewelry, an heirloom, a home, an inheritance, etc., how to handle your digital estate is a totally new conversation.

According to a recent study by the cybersecurity company TrendMicro, only 3% of respondents who were 65 and older had a digital estate plan. What happens to the other 97% of respondents’ digital assets? Who is responsible after someone passes on? Where does the information go?

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man on laptop

A man typing on his laptop. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What are “digital assets” and what is “digital legacy”?

Digital assets are any content or resources that exist in digital form, including files like photos, videos, emails and social media accounts, as well as online properties such as websites or cryptocurrency. On the other hand, a digital legacy encompasses all the digital assets an individual leaves behind after death.

This legacy can include personal, financial and creative digital properties that may need to be managed or transferred according to the deceased’s wishes or legal directives. Managing a digital legacy is becoming an increasingly important aspect of estate planning, as it ensures that digital assets are handled appropriately, respecting both legal requirements and the personal preferences of the deceased.

With over 20-plus years of experience, cybersecurity and education expert Lynette Owens, VP of Global Consumer Education & Marketing of Trend Micro — Digital Estate Planning — helps us answer these questions.

COUPLE on laptop

A couple looking at their laptop. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: DON’T FALL FOR THAT ‘LOOK WHO DIED’ FACEBOOK MESSAGE TRAP

What happens to our vast and intangible footprint — our digital assets — when we pass on?

Digital assets, such as emails, digital photos, online accounts and subscriptions, digital currencies and documents, remain as they are when we pass on, so it is vital to consider who should take care of them and what should happen to them.

Depending on the company’s privacy policies, there are several possibilities for what can happen to our private and sensitive information when we die. While these scenarios are not always clear and can be very nuanced, examples include data sometimes being deleted after a certain period and the worst-case scenario, which is your data ending up in the wrong hands.

However, creating a digital estate plan — and ensuring you have someone to take care of your digital assets and information when you pass — allows you to decide where information will go and how your accounts will be managed.

FAMILY on laptop

A family viewing material on a laptop. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: HOW SCAMMERS HAVE SUNK TO A NEW LOW WITH AN AI OBITUARY SCAM TARGETING THE GRIEVING

What does a person stand to lose if they don’t protect their digital assets?

Preserving and taking precautions when it comes to your digital legacy is essential for several reasons:

1. Legal and financial considerations: Online digital assets such as online bank accounts have financial value that should be managed by the executor of your estate or the trustee of your trust. However, they may not have the information to access accounts that are purely online. There’s a need to ensure these assets are managed correctly.

2. Genealogy and family lineage: Organizing this can provide insights into family history and genealogy for later generations. This information lets you track down family relationships, relatives and connections.

3. Personal and emotional security: Unmanaged, dormant online accounts are susceptible to hacking and misuse and can be used to commit identity theft and fraud.

4. Preserving memories: An online archive of treasured moments like pictures, videos and messages shared on different social media platforms allows family members to access and preserve memories easily. Some online accounts can also be memorialized, so users know someone has passed. Memorialized accounts are a place for friends and family to gather and share memories after a person has passed away. Memorializing an account also helps keep it secure by preventing anyone from logging into it.

4 How to secure your enduring digital legacy

A man on his laptop. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Who is responsible for this information after someone passes on? 

After someone passes away, each company will follow its privacy policy regarding handling inactive or deceased persons’ accounts. You can appoint a digital executor to manage your digital assets as part of your estate plan. This individual, who does not necessarily have to be the executor of your estate or trustee of your trust, should be trustworthy, digitally knowledgeable and capable of handling detailed administrative tasks.

They should be designated as your digital executor in your will and trust. It is advisable to inform them of their role and the location of your digital estate plan or include these details in your broader estate plan.

Woman estate planning

A woman who is estate planning. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Should I provide my digital executor with passwords?

Your digital executor should not require your passwords to delete, close or memorialize your accounts. But they will need to contact each account service and show proof of your death through a death certificate to receive access and permission to carry out your wishes. Be aware that the exact protocols vary by state and company.

While sharing passwords and two-factor authentication credentials with a designated person would make login and online account management easy and convenient for a loved one who is the designated digital executor, we cannot officially recommend this action as it encourages a breach of companies’ terms of use and privacy policies with their account holders.

Instead, we recommend the often laborious and time-consuming process of going through official channels and presenting ID, death certificates, etc., to companies to gain access to account data and management on behalf of a deceased or incapacitated person.

MORE: HOW TO ENSURE YOUR PASSWORDS DON’T DIE WITH YOU

hands

One hand on top of another. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How can we ensure our digital assets are protected when we die?    

To ensure our digital assets are protected when we die, consider the following:

Create an inventory of digital assets: Make a list of your digital accounts and assets and the associated email or username. Do not include passwords in the list, as this is unnecessary.

Use password managers: Password managers securely store an up-to-date list of your online accounts and usernames. You can designate one person to access your password manager, which could be your digital executor. When completing your digital estate plan, you can reference your account list in your password manager.

FACEBOOK OVERSIGHT BOARD TO CONSIDER WHETHER ANTI-ISRAEL RALLYING CRY IS ‘HATE SPEECH’

Create a digital estate plan: Provide your fiduciaries (Digital Executor) with instructions on managing your digital assets. For example, you may want the account closed or deleted or pictures, videos or other digital assets saved or distributed to family and friends. Perhaps you want an account to be memorialized. Keep in mind that different businesses provide users with different options for what can be done with accounts if someone is incapacitated or passes away. You’ll need to check the policies of the companies you have accounts with to see what options are available, as this could influence the instructions you leave in your digital estate plan.

Keep your digital estate plan in a safe location: Because it contains sensitive information, you may not want to list the details in your estate planning documents. However, you should reference it in your will or trust, including instructions on how to find it and who your digital executor will be. Work with your lawyer to ensure your digital estate plan fully integrates into your other legally binding documents.

These measures can help better protect your digital assets and ensure they are managed accordingly after you pass, providing peace of mind to you and your loved ones.

Elderly person's hands

A close-up of an elderly person’s hands. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What are some digital estate planning best practices?

In addition to completing the steps outlined above, you can do a few additional things now to protect your data and accounts.

1. Consider using an identity protection solution: Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security Number (SSN), phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. 

One of the best parts of using identity theft protection is that they might include identity theft insurance of up to $1 million to cover losses and legal fees and a white glove fraud resolution team where a U.S.-based case manager helps you recover any losses. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft. 

2. Set up legacy contacts. Many popular online companies, including Google, Apple (for iPhone users), Facebook and Microsoft, allow users to configure their online accounts to ensure that they will be deleted or passed on to trusted individuals who can handle their personal information responsibly. See more on this below:

How do specific online platforms prepare my digital legacy?

Google (Gmail, Drive, and more)

  • Go to your Google Account settings.
  • Click the profile picture in the upper right of the screen.
  • Tap Manage your Google Account. 
  • Look for “Data & Privacy.”
  • Scroll down, and under “More Options,” click on “Make a plan for your digital legacy.”
  • Under the section “Choose who to notify & what to share,” click ADD PERSON. You can choose up to 10 people for us to notify if your Google Account becomes inactive. You can also give them access to some of your data.

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Apple (for iPhone users)

  • Navigate to your iPhone’s settings.
  • Tap on your Apple ID.
  • Tap on “Sign-In & Security.”
  • Scroll down and click “Legacy Contact,“
  • Tap on “Add Legacy Contact” and follow the instructions to select a contact from your address book.
  • Apple introduced the legacy contacts system in 2021. This allows a user to nominate one or more trusted persons to control the user’s account for three years after their death. The process involves generating a shared access key with this trusted individual, who shares it with Apple after the user’s death (along with the death certificate). Once the legacy contact has completed these steps, they will gain access to the account (photos, messages, files, apps and other sensitive data). The legacy contact will also have the power to decide what happens to the data.

Facebook

  • On your computer, click your profile photo in the top right of Facebook.
  • Select Settings & Privacy, then click Settings.
  • Click Accounts Center, then click Personal Details.
  • Click Account Ownership and Control, then click Memorialization.
  • Click Memorialize account.
  • Now, you must select a legacy contact to manage your account.
  • Click Next to confirm.

Microsoft

Microsoft does not provide a direct feature for setting up legacy contacts or specifying posthumous account management preferences within the account settings. However, Microsoft has a process for handling the accounts of deceased or incapacitated users. If you have the account credentials, you can close the account yourself. If not, the account will be closed automatically after two years of inactivity.

In cases where access to the account is needed, legal representatives or family members must seek legal guidance and may need to provide Microsoft with a valid subpoena or court order.

X

X (formally known as Twitter) does not have anything in place — neither to memorialize an account nor to provide a legacy contact’s details. It also does not provide account access to the loved ones of a deceased user. At the same time, an authorized person can contact X to have a deceased person’s account deactivated after providing relevant information (ID, death certificate, etc.) For more detailed information, you can visit X’s Help Center or their policy on media depicting deceased individuals.

Instagram

Being owned by Facebook, Instagram has memorial and deactivation features similar to the above. There is no specific legacy contact, but family members and other authorized persons can contact Instagram to inform them the person has died. At this point, the profile can be memorialized or deleted. For further assistance or to request these actions, one would need to contact Instagram directly through their Help Center.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn will not disclose data or grant any access to anyone, including family members. Family members and other authorized persons can report a user’s death. If you aren’t authorized to act on behalf of a deceased member, you can report them as deceased, and LinkedIn will memorialize the profile.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Each new generation will spend more time in the digital world. However, due to the rapid pace at which this technology has been embedded into our lives, society still has not entirely caught up with what to do with all of that. But our digital assets are just as important as our non-digital ones. So, when you begin to take an inventory of your physical assets, spend some time focusing on your digital ones, too. After all, these are the ones that the next generation will remember you by.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.





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