What happens to your Facebook profile after you die is a morbid but very important topic. Facebook has had several issues with this topic compared to other social networks because of its terms regarding memorial profiles.
While Facebook has offered a a memorial feature for some time, the control of these memorial profiles has been limited for relatives and highly relegated. An updated policy on Facebook gives some of that control back to relatives of deceased users, according to the Guardian.
The revised process gives Facebook users an option to memorialize the profile pages of friends and relatives who have died, giving an online destination for people to give their last regards. This is also another way in which others can be alerted to the death of an acquaintance, particularly relevant on Facebook as the site has become a way for people to stay in touch in their own time frame.
Facebook will still require proof of death, which is a necessary step for Facebook to ensure the privacy of users’ profiles being memorialized as well as the integrity of the memorial feature itself. From there, only confirmed friends within that user’s Facebook network will have access to the memorialized profile page. Posts can be left on their wall, enhancing the profile’s memorial capabilities.
Facebook has been dealing with a bit of controversy around its previous terms regarding memorial profile pages, with a number of users pleading their own cases for simplifying the process. In updating its policy, Facbook becomes a more sensitive and aware social network wih more dimensions than merely viewing status updates and last weekend’s party photos.
I think this is a smart move for Facebook. It’s just too bad that so much time passed before Facebook updated its policy.
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My young cousin (18) passed away after being struck by lightening a few weeks ago. JT was a kind and well liked young man and his Facebook pages have become a beacon for those that cared about him. I looked at his page yesterday and saw that he is still getting many comments on his wall each day. There are two obvious benefits of this – one that the family can take solace in how much of an impact this young man had on the lives of those that he touched and that those that were the benefit of JT’s kind person have a chance to express their sorrow in, what is to them, a meaningful way.
Facebook has become a platform where people can expand their ability to stay in touch. It seems only natural that the friends that share so much of their lives there would choose that platform to stay in touch even when that person is no longer among us. I hope that Facebook can see their way clear to allow this as a convenient forum for others that have suffered such a tragedy.
My little sister passed away in 2007. Last year I had Facebook memorialize her page. It’s better – she now only shows up in searches for those she had already friended, her account is locked so no one can get in and update her status, and friends can still post on her wall as often as they want (and they do). It’s sort of frozen in time. I only found out about the memorializing last year – I wish I’d known sooner.