The cruel irony of death in the digital age is that there’s the data that haunts us—and the data the companies don’t want to give usThe cruel irony of death in the digital age is that there’s the data that haunts us—and the data the companies don’t want to give us
MY CAR’S BLUETOOTH asks if I’d like to connect to “Miranda’s iPhone.”
Facebook pings me with “memories”: photo carousels of my adult daughter and me on a beach or posing for goofy selfies.
Miranda’s name appears on my list of “favorite” numbers on my phone. A shared streaming account offers recommendations that cater to Miranda’s high-low tastes: a historical drama, and the new season of “Real Housewives.”
Then there’s my Amazon account, which lists Miranda’s shipping address in Brooklyn.
But Miranda is not in Brooklyn. She died in February, 2024, at the age of 32. Her body was found in her bedroom. She’d collapsed suddenly sometime during the previous night, we’d later learn from complications from a rare brain tumor removed five years earlier. After the surgery, her neurosurgeon had assured us she would live a long and healthy life.
Every time her ghost pops up on a device, my heart is ripped anew.
Kinda sad and poignant reflection on the complexities of digital life
"No matter where you go, everyone's connected."
Lain.
Oh man. I could only imagine how horrible this must be.
Ouch. But so true. Our data is not our own in many cases. And we freely give it away for digital conveniences.
Sorry for the lost! it's painful but I see those photos as moments to always remember her from.
We’ve digitized our entire lives, but we haven't built a grief mode for our algorithms.
It’s heartbreaking that the tools meant to make life easier end up becoming landmines for someone navigating a loss this profound.