All The Ghosts in Machine Digital Afterlife of your Personal Data

A fascinating and thought-provoking journey into the problematic world of our digital afterlife. 'It is impossible to read the book and not be concerned about what your digital legacy might be. The book does not politely ask permission to consider these issues; it demands the reader's attention'?- The Psychologist 'This is a beautifully written, engaging text that brims with stories . . . accessible, amusing and challenging, all in one go'?-?Maggi Savin-Baden,?University of Worcester, UKOne day, the breadcrumb trail you leave behind as you traverse your online environment will become your digital legacy - and social media are only the tip of the iceberg. Our digital legacies can be exquisitely revealing and unexpectedly persistent. What will yours say about you?'Elaine Kasket has written a thought-provoking book [on] the psychosocial, legal, ethical and practical implications of being mortal in the digital age'?- Carla Sofka, co-editor of?Dying, Death, and Grief in an Online Universe 'I read this book with the sinking realisation that my favourite response to a problem - "worry about it later" - is not really an option' -?Sunday Telegraph 'A thorough and much-needed interrogation of an issue which, quite literally, faces us all' -?Geoff White, investigative journalist 'As charming and touching as it is astute and insightful'Adam Alter, New York Times bestselling author of Irresistible and Drunk Tank Pink'This a very useful book, even perhaps for people who have never been near a computer in their lives'Jake Kerridge, Sunday TelegraphSeen any ghosts on your smartphone lately? As we're compelled to capture, store and share more and more of our personal information, there's something we often forget. All that data doesn't just disappear when our physical bodies shuffle off this mortal coil. If the concept of remaining socially active after you're no longer breathing sounds crazy, you might want to get used to the idea. Digital afterlives are a natural consequence of the information age, a reality that barely anyone has prepared for - and that 'anyone' probably includes you.In All the Ghosts in the Machine, psychologist Elaine Kasket sounds a clarion call to everyone who's never thought about death in the digital age. When someone's hyperconnected, hyperpersonal digital footprint is transformed into their lasting legacy, she asks, who is helped, who is hurt, and who's in charge? And why is now such a critical moment to take our heads out of the sand?Weaving together personal, moving true stories and scientific research, All the Ghosts in the Machine takes you on a fascinating tour through the valley of the shadow of digital death. In the process, it will transform how you think about your life and your legacy, in a time when our technologies are tantalising us with fantasies of immortality.