Making arrangements for what should happen in the event of our death is quaintly referred to as “putting our affairs in order”, but that order is becoming more difficult to achieve. While in the past, we might have left information on a piece of paper under lock and key and advised a family member or friend, sprawling digital legacies make for a far more complex process.
We’re encouraged to store our communications, passwords and photos with safe, cloud-based internet services, but once we’ve departed this world, it can be difficult for our loved ones to access them. Indeed, those entrusted with handling our affairs can have a hard time working out how much digital information even exists, let alone get hold of it. Weighing the privacy of the individual against the needs of the bereaved can be problematic, and technology firms are still trying to work out what balance to strike.
Apple introduces Legacy Contacts
Apple is the latest company to attempt some kind of solution with a feature called Legacy Contacts. Launched as part of the most recent system software update for iPhones, iPads and Macs, it allows you to generate access keys for up to five friends or family who are then permitted to access information stored by Apple in the event of your death. Prior to Legacy Contacts, Apple was known for its rigorous protection of the data of the deceased, and found itself on the losing side of a number of court cases as bereaved relatives fought to gain access to photos, videos and written material.
Living people have their own expectations of privacy, and I don't like the idea of that being compromised
Dr Elaine Kasket,
bereavement lead at the Digital Legacy Association
“It’s really hard, because it’s a collision of intellectual property law, contract law and probate law, some of which varies from country to country,” says Elaine Kasket, bereavement lead at the Digital Legacy Association, and author of All the Ghosts in the Machine: Illusions of Immortality in the Digital Age. “And with the digital side of things getting as complex as it is, it can be really hard to tie up loose ends. You need somebody who knows what they're doing to act as a digital executor.”
Tech firms are trying to make it easier. Facebook has a similar system with the same name – Legacy Contact – where you can appoint someone to look after your memorialised account. Google’s somewhat bluntly-named Inactive Account Manager also lets you nominate someone who can be assigned any content stored on Gmail, Google Photos and YouTube. Other companies such as Dropbox and Microsoft are also trying to tackle this issue.
What about the rights of those still living?
But handing over data to a bereaved person in exchange for a death certificate comes with its own problems. As Kasket points out, there are the privacy rights of living people to consider, too.
“One of my concerns with respect to getting into people's accounts – whether through a legitimised way like Legacy Contacts, or through the identity impersonation that bereaved people have to do all the time – is that a healthy percentage of the things they can access also involve other people’s data, such as emails, messages and contacts,” she says. “Those living people have their own expectations of privacy, and I don't like the idea of that being compromised.”
There's a window of exploitation that can occur between the date someone dies and the family being able to get their heads around what to do with their data
Elaine Kasket
Perhaps because of the nature of the court cases they have found themselves embroiled in, Apple’s Legacy Contact system does allow access to what Kasket describes as the “sentimental stuff”, ie photographs and digital memorabilia. What it doesn’t unlock are the things that would traditionally be bequeathable, such as purchased digital music, books, films or games (those licences expire on death) or the “practical stuff”, ie the logins and passwords to accounts which would make it easier to execute a will and close down an estate. It’s an anomaly, but not one that can easily be solved.
To compound these problems, as the technology surrounding privacy changes, the process of putting our affairs in order becomes an ongoing one, rather than something we spend an afternoon doing. Take an example of someone who sets their current partner as a Legacy Contact, but the relationship ends and they forget to update it; all of a sudden, there may be an embittered ex-spouse able to access data against the probable wishes of the deceased.
Accessibility and monetisation
Then there’s the effect of new online security measures, such as two-factor authentication, where access codes are sent to smartphones. That list of passwords you provided in the event of your death suddenly becomes useless, because your loved ones may not have access to the smartphone the codes are being sent to.
The data of the deceased is valuable. For the companies holding it, it can be used to infer things about living users who are still monetisable. For the bereaved, it has huge emotional value that simply can’t be measured. But while the tight security around that data can be infuriating and upsetting, it can also be extremely necessary, and that’s what makes the issue so complex.
“These days, you have dates of death circulating on the dark web,” says Kasket. “There's a window of exploitation that can occur between the date someone dies and the family being able to get their heads around what to do with their data. In that period of time, there could be assets that are vulnerable.”
The best we can do to stay on top of this is to devote time to making our wishes clear, and revising and checking them from time to time. It goes against human nature, because our eventual death is never something we like to think about, but regularly doing so might save those we leave behind a great deal of stress and anguish.
info-box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Biography
Her family: She has four sons, aged 29, 27, 25 and 24 and is a grandmother-of-nine
Favourite book: Flashes of Thought by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Favourite drink: Water
Her hobbies: Reading and volunteer work
Favourite music: Classical music
Her motto: I don't wait, I initiate
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
THREE
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JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO
Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
Second practice: Friday, 9-10.30am
Third practice: Saturday, 7-8am
Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
Race: Sunday, 9am-midday
Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sukuk explained
Sukuk are Sharia-compliant financial certificates issued by governments, corporates and other entities. While as an asset class they resemble conventional bonds, there are some significant differences. As interest is prohibited under Sharia, sukuk must contain an underlying transaction, for example a leaseback agreement, and the income that is paid to investors is generated by the underlying asset. Investors must also be prepared to share in both the profits and losses of an enterprise. Nevertheless, sukuk are similar to conventional bonds in that they provide regular payments, and are considered less risky than equities. Most investors would not buy sukuk directly due to high minimum subscriptions, but invest via funds.
In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
UAE and Russia in numbers
UAE-Russia ties stretch back 48 years
Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018
More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE
Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE
The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023
