In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives, continuing to shape our identities even after we pass away.
Managing the social media accounts of a deceased loved one can be a challenging and emotional task, as it involves deciding whether to memorialise or delete their online presence.
Each social media platform has its protocols for handling accounts of the deceased, and understanding these procedures is crucial for making informed decisions during a difficult time.
Experts at Affordable Urns, who specialise in life’s final chapter, break down how to navigate these digital legacies on various platforms.
What Is the Digital Afterlife?
Social media accounts can exist for years after someone dies, even if no one logs in or uses the account. When this happens, friends and followers can still look at the accounts as they were and even continue to comment and post on their pages, depending on the social media site and the user’s privacy settings. The account also might be vulnerable to unauthorised access.
Maybe a person made their wishes with social media accounts known and they wrote down login credentials before they died.
However, oftentimes our digital afterlives are not considered, as people don’t make the same considerations of what to do with their accounts as they would with their other assets.
It’s important to note that no major social media company will give you login credentials to anyones account, even if you prove that you are the handler of their affairs post-mortem. That being said, many social media sites have other options.
To Memorialise or To Delete?
The reality that our digital avatars and profiles exist even after death can be a comfort to some loved ones after passing.
For others, it can be a painful reminder. Consider what would be best for the family. However, some social media accounts act as digital memorials, where friends and family can still comment and post messages of love and grief on the person’s page.
If you get access to the deceased accounts, it can be used to post information about funeral arrangements, updates from the family, and pictures.
However, it may be a painful experience for people to handle the account of someone who passed away. Deleting a social media account of a deceased person is a very valid option.
Facebook and Instagram
Since Facebook and Instagram are owned by the same company, Meta, they have the same protocol for when someone passes away. Both have the option for accounts to be officially memorialised. When this happens on Facebook, the word “remembering” is added in front of their name.
The accounts can also be deleted with certain documentation. Both platforms require a birth certificate of the deceased, a death certificate of the deceased, and proof of authority under local law that you are the lawful representative of the deceased person, or his/her estate.
X (Formerly Twitter)
X doesn’t have the option to memorialise an account, but they allow the removal of accounts with proof. They require a copy of your ID and a copy of the deceased’s death certificate as well as additional information on their official request form.
For the professional social media site, anyone can report a deceased account with a member’s full name, the LinkedIn profile link/URL, your relationship with the deceased, the member’s email address, the date of their passing, and a link to an obituary.
To have the account officially removed, however, you’ll need a copy of the member’s death certificate and a legal document to show you have the authority to act on behalf of the deceased member, such as a letter of testimony.
TikTok
Currently, TikTok has no official way for a deceased person’s account to be memorialized or deleted. The only option currently is to delete it if you have access to the account with the deceased person’s login credentials.
It reported that “Dealing with the social media accounts of a loved one who has passed can be overwhelming, but it’s important to honour their memory in a way that feels right for you and their other loved ones.”
“Whether you choose to memorialize or delete their accounts, taking these steps ensures their digital footprint is managed with care and respect,” Affordable Urns said.
