Family Seeks to Access Son’s Digital Data

When Bill and Kristi Anderson lost their son Jake in December 2013 from hypothermia, they were surprised to discover that without a search warrant, the law does not permit them access to Jake’s final text messages, phone calls or pictures.  “Was he abducted? Did he get lost? We don’t know,” Kristi Anderson testified before lawmakers Tuesday morning, “but we think his cell phone could possibly contain some of those answers.” 

Jake’s parents want answers surrounding his death.  Fortunately, Representative Debra Hilstrom wants to help them.  “Imagine if your bank chose to treat your assets in the same way and said, ‘oh, no, you died, so no one can get access to your assets.  We’d all be outraged.”  Hilstrom authored a bill that would allow account holders or a personal representative of the deceased get access to digital assets, as long as the deceased does not prohibit access in their will. The Minnesota Legislature will hold additional hearings to vote on the bill.

See Tom Hauser, Family Fights to Access Late Son’s Digital Data, ABC Eyewitness News, Jan. 21, 2015.