A new digital afterlife industry is taking shape, with big tech conglomerates like Facebook and apps like Afternote leading the charge. They already offer a range of services, from posthumous messaging to online memorials and even AI-powered resurrections. With these advancements, it’s clear that discussing our digital afterlife has become more important than ever! This panel will bring together experts from multiple fields — including law, ethics, politics, and media culture — to present a balanced exploration of the digital afterlife using intriguing questions and what-if scenarios to cover wishful and cautionary perspectives.

Share your thoughts on what should happen to your digital legacy at this non-traditional open forum. The invited speakers have a diverse range of backgrounds, attitudes, interests and experience. Mireille van Eechoud brings her extensive expertise on legal and regulatory issues surrounding the digital rights of the living and the dead. Julia Janssen adds a critical artistic perspective on the intersection of the digital, physical and social realms. Marius Ursache further complements the discussion with his insider knowledge about the digital afterlife industry, offering an inspiring account of what digital immortality can accomplish when done ‘right’. ​They will present inspiring ideas for the future of post-mortem digital rights – and warn against its dark side.

• Curated by Merit Zimmerman and Ezgi Aktug
• Tickets available on the website and at the door