Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law

Journal of Research and Development in Comparative Law

“A Comparative Study of Conflicting Stakeholder Rights in the Management of Digital Assets after Death under Iranian Law and U.S. Law (with Emphasis on RUFADAA)”

Document Type : scientific research paper

Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Private Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.
2 Ph.D. Student in Private Law, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran
Abstract
The transformation of asset structures in the digital age has posed fundamental and unprecedented legal questions, among which the fate of individuals’ digital assets after death stands out as a particularly complex issue. Digital assets—such as user accounts, cloud-stored content, emails, images, and other forms of personal data—while bearing economic, emotional, and even cultural value, present significant legal challenges for post-mortem succession due to their intangible nature, complex contractual frameworks, and the direct or indirect involvement of multiple actors, including digital service providers. The interests of the main stakeholders involved in managing these assets—namely, the deceased user’s intent, the rights of legal successors (including heirs, legatees, or executors), the privacy expectations of other users, the commercial interests of service providers, and broader public interests—are often misaligned and, in some instances, fundamentally conflicting. Against this backdrop, the core issue lies in identifying and legally analyzing these conflicting interests and assessing viable legal solutions within the broader framework of private and public law. Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology with a comparative lens, this article first outlines the legal concept of digital assets and then critically examines the post-mortem management of such assets. By identifying the primary stakeholders—including the deceased user, legal representatives, service providers, other affected users, and the general public—the article elucidates the nature of potential conflicts arising from their overlapping rights and interests. The study further analyzes the innovations introduced by the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA) in the United States, exploring its capacity as a model of comparative law for resolving such conflicts. The findings suggest that an effective resolution requires the design of a multilayered legal regime, grounded in prioritizing the user’s intent, safeguarding privacy rights, protecting inheritance claims, and simultaneously addressing public interest concerns. Drawing upon the RUFADAA framework, the article concludes with a series of legislative recommendations aimed at establishing a coherent and future-proof legal structure for digital asset succession within the Iranian legal system.
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