This Feb. 16, 2013 photo shows a printout of the Facebook page for Loren Williams, now deceased, at his mother's home in Beaverton, Ore. Karen Williams, who battled Facebook over the right to view Loren’s Facebook page, has been urging lawmakers for years to do something to prevent others from losing photos, messages and other memories that otherwise could be accessed at the click of a mouse. This year the Oregon Legislature took up the cause, only to be turned back by pressure from the tech industry, which says they must abide by a 1986 federal law that prevents them from sharing such information. (AP Photo/Lauren Gambino)
News Summary: Facebook photos and death
Published: 04:42:56 PM, Fri 01 March 2013 UTC
DIGITAL AND DEATH: The Oregon Legislature recently took up a proposal that would have made it easier for loved ones to access the "digital assets" such as Facebook photos of the deceased, only to be turned back by pressure from the tech industry, which argued that both a 1986 federal law and terms of service agreements prohibit companies from sharing information.
FEDERAL LAW: Lobbyists agree the Stored Communications Act is woefully out of date but say that until it's changed, laws passed at the state level could be unconstitutional.
THE EXCEPTIONS: Currently, five states have digital assets laws, which vary widely. This group includes Oklahoma, which passed a law two years ago allowing estate lawyers to access digital assets, even social media accounts.
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