Ask HN: how to optimize dead-man data?

I was thinking about how much knowledge people have, that people may only be prepared to reveal upon death. (please excuse the morbid topic)

There's not much "return" on disclosed knowledge and stories for the deceased, but people may still wish to share their sensitive information with the public anyhow. Maybe inventions that would otherwise be confiscated via the Invention Secrecy Act (1951)?

Goverments release classified data after many decades, why not people?

With all the throwaway accounts on HN, maybe this is something readers here could use? A way for people to disclose their real identities here on HN.

Can any of this be done at present, and where? Should data be encrypted in case of a breach? Perhaps a blockchain could be used?

I suppose nothing new needs to be invented here, maybe just a way to get pings from all preexisting dead man's switches?

One caveat is that people may not want their descendants to suffer from their disclosures - hopefully they can even benefit and profit. The other consideration is bogus deaths, and false identities being used to legitimize information.

example names:

"Autobiographies of the Recently Departed"

"Undertaker Disclosures"

"Wikileaks for the Deceased"

"HN Unmasked"

"Death-bed Publish"

"Inventions in Peace"

"Treasures Heavensent"

"Timed, Anonymous Deadman Switch"

"Karma Resolver"

3 points | by adrianwaj 23 hours ago

1 comments

  • pestatije 23 hours ago
    currently to do this you write it in your will...the key here is trust, theres no other way...by trust i mean you trust someone or something to action your instructions...my take: a will is not broken, so dont fix it
    • adrianwaj 23 hours ago
      Makes sense. But I wonder how many lawyers these days are fiddling around with passwords and data dumps. What services have they been told to use?