【Modern Digital Legacy Survey】The Number of 'Digital Secrets' Families Are Not Supposed to See Is Explosively Increasing in Proportion to SNS Followers and AI Usage Time. One in Five in Their 40s Own 'Alt Accounts'

GOODREI Inc. (headquartered in Chuo Ward, Tokyo; CEO: Kenosuke Sueyoshi; hereinafter 'GOODREI'), which provides the pre-arranged digital legacy organization service 'Deji-Takuseru,' has conducted a survey titled 'Survey on Modern Individuals' SNS and Generative AI Usage' targeting married men and women aged 40 to 70.

The survey revealed a modern-specific digital legacy risk: the number of 'digital secrets' that individuals absolutely do not want their families to see increases proportionally with the number of SNS followers and frequency of generative AI usage.

Detailed results will be presented at a seminar during the 'Funeral Business Fair 2026' exhibition, held at Pacifico Yokohama starting at 15:10 on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, with expert commentary.

Background of the Survey

To date, discussions on digital legacies and digital end-of-life planning have primarily focused on organizing photo data left on computers and smartphones, or financial assets such as online banking and cryptocurrency.

However, modern lifestyles are changing rapidly. In addition to SNS, which has become daily communication infrastructure, the use of generative AI has exploded in recent years. Direct messages on social media, secret accounts ('alt accounts'), and chat histories with AI differ from traditional digital legacies in that they directly textually record personal inner thoughts and closed interpersonal relationships. These data can be described as 'mental or closed legacies,' representing an extremely private domain.

A serious issue arises when active middle-aged individuals in their 40s, who are still unfamiliar with the concept of 'end-of-life planning,' suddenly pass away due to accidents or illness. If their smartphones, which have not undergone pre-arranged organization, are unlocked, messages completely unknown to their real families or AI chat logs where they confided their deepest truths to no one may be exposed to bereaved family members against their intentions.

Against this backdrop, this survey aimed to objectively clarify, through data, the risks associated with these new forms of digital legacies—'histories and messages from AI and SNS'—that modern individuals accumulate daily, in the event of unexpected circumstances.

Survey Results Summary

1. Half of people in their 40s do not want their SNS messages seen by family after death

When asked, 'If you were to suddenly die, do you have SNS messages you absolutely do not want your family to see?' the percentage answering 'Yes, I have things I don't want seen' was 49% among those in their 40s, nearly half, compared to 28% among those in their 50s. Given that the percentage of non-SNS users is nearly identical at 5% for both age groups, this difference likely reflects increased SNS usage frequency and higher privacy sensitivity in content among those in their 40s.

Figure 1: Presence of SNS messages absolutely not to be seen by family in case of sudden death

2. 19% of people in their 40s own SNS 'alt accounts'—one in five

Regarding ownership of secret social media accounts ('alt accounts'), the survey found that 19% of those in their 40s own such accounts, significantly higher than other age groups. This suggests that because they possess accounts they wish to hide from family, the confidentiality of their messages is also heightened.

Figure 2: Age-based ownership rate of SNS 'alt accounts'

3. Secret data surges when follower count exceeds 500

It was also found that data confidentiality varies by number of SNS followers. Among those with fewer than 500 followers, less than 40% answered that their messages contain content problematic if seen by family. However, among those with over 500 followers, this percentage jumped sharply to 71%. This reveals the reality that as follower counts increase, so do opportunities for private communications hidden from family.

Figure 3: Degree of SNS message confidentiality by follower count

4. 85% of users who spend over one hour daily on generative AI do not want family to see their chat logs

Similarly, the survey examined whether users have content in their generative AI chat logs they absolutely do not want family to see if they were to suddenly die.

Results showed that as generative AI usage time increases, so does the proportion of users with content they do not want seen. Among users spending over one hour daily on AI, 85% answered they 'do not want family to see it.'

The most common content users wish to hide is 'urgent anxieties about health or death (56%),' followed by 'serious concerns about family or relationships (52%),' 'exploration of personal preferences or sexual tendencies (44%),' and 'financial consultations (33%).'

While AI has become a refuge for modern individuals' inner thoughts, 48% of users possessing such secret data report they 'do not delete their chat history at all,' revealing a serious risk of neglect.

Figure 4: Degree of content confidentiality by generative AI usage time

This survey clarified that in today's digital society, personal secrets are evolving from traditional digital assets like photos and financial data on smartphones to 'inner thoughts and closed relationships' such as SNS DMs and generative AI chat logs.

Especially among active middle-aged individuals in their 40s, those with many followers, and those who extensively use AI, there is a significant accumulation of private information (mental legacies) they do not wish to share with family. However, most leave these data unmanaged without taking concrete measures, creating latent risks of 'digital legacy conflicts with bereaved families' in unforeseen circumstances.

Through 'Deji-Takuseru,' our company will contribute to popularizing pre-arranged digital organization, protecting the dignity of the deceased and enabling bereaved families to securely inherit precious memories.

Participation in Funeral Business Fair 2026

GOODREI will exhibit at 'Funeral Business Fair 2026,' a comprehensive exhibition gathering funeral professionals. On the first day of the event, we will host a seminar thoroughly analyzing the survey results.

Exhibition Name: Funeral Business Fair 2026

Official URL: https://www.sogo-unicom.co.jp/funeral/fair/

Dates: Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 10:00–17:00 / Wednesday, June 24, 10:00–16:30

【Seminar Information】

Date and Time: Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 15:10–15:40

Location: Pacifico Yokohama, Exhibition Hall C·D, Stage 3

Seminar Title: How Digital Legacy Organizers Advise on Preparing for Digital End-of-Life Planning

Speaker: Madoka Takahashi, Representative, Contract Corporation with-U (an expert with extensive support experience in inheritance and end-of-life planning)

Content: We will present the survey results in detail and explain the current forefront of digital end-of-life planning and key points to prepare in advance.

Deji-Takuseru Service Overview

GOODREI provides the pre-arranged organization service 'Deji-Takuseru,' enabling individuals to leave their digital legacies to family with peace of mind in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

'Deji-Takuseru' involves defining, together with experts, information to retain (inheritance) and information to delete (privacy protection) while the individual is still healthy.