Death and Social Media

Facebook has become a part of everyday life for pretty much everyone. Where it was once a popular trend among the younger generation, it has expanded to include people from the younger teenage groups all the way to our grandparents. While we all use Facebook for our own reasons, rather it be to connect with friends, share our art, get in political debates, or to promote our business, everyone has found a place on it. Our younger generation likes sharing their life and our older grandparents like being able to see their children and grandchildren right there on their phone and share in their accomplishments.

What happens to our Facebook, however, when we pass away? We’re not really sure if there is WiFi in the afterlife, but we doubt we are going to be posting on Facebook when we are gone. So what do we do about it? Well, technically it’s what does someone else do about it? When you pass away, a friend or family member needs to contact Facebook and inform them of your passing. When doing this, they need to send them some sort of proof of death, typically a death certificate is the easiest way to do this. Once they do this, your Facebook becomes either memorialized, or removed, depending on what you request to happen.

If the page is removed, it simply stops existing. If memorialized, it becomes more or less a digital memorial for the deceased one. The main points of a memorialized Facebook is:

No one can log into the Facebook, even if they have the login information, keeping the Facebook and information safe.

The Facebook name will have the word “Remembering” on it, making the profile read as “Remembering Jane Doe”.  

Depending on the privacy settings, people can still post to the profile, leaving their condolences and/or memories.

All of the posts and photos the person has put on Facebook will remain there to be seen by any who has access to see the account.

In this modern age we don’t keep many physical forms of remembrance. We post hundreds if not thousands of photos of ourselves online yet never get any of these photos printed off and framed. When a loved one passes away, their Facebook might be the only way to still get photos of them, so it is good to know that they are secure. They will always be there for you to treasure and remember them by. While you handle the digital life of a loved one that has passed, we will handle the funeral service for you.