TIPS FOR MANAGING YOUR PERSONAL OR BUSINESS FACEBOOK PAGE AFTER YOUR DEATH
BY HEIDI MCIVOR ALLEN
Ever wonder what happens to your social media accounts after you die? There are multiple options to choose from regarding how your Facebook account, for example, is handled once you pass away. And, just like any property, you have a choice beforehand so your wishes are honored.
Your choices include:
1. DO NOTHING
If you do nothing, your account will remain active and no one will have access to it.
If Facebook becomes aware of your passing, only your main profile will be memorialized. If you choose to not have your account deleted, only your main profile will be memorialized (and only if Facebook is notified of your passing).
2. MEMORIALIZATION
Memorialized profiles become a place where friends and family can gather and share memories after a person has passed. Memorialized profiles have the following key features:
- The word “Remembering” will appear next to the person’s name on their profile
- Memorialized profiles that don’t have a legacy contact can’t be changed
- No one can log into the account
- Content the person shared stays on Facebook and is visible to the audience it was shared with
- Depending on the profile privacy settings, friends can share memories on the memorialized timeline
- Memorialized profiles do not appear in public spaces (such as in suggestions for "people you may know", ads or birthday reminders)
- Pages with a sole admin whose profile was memorialized will be removed from Facebook if they receive a valid memorialization request
3. TRANSFER OF CONTROL – LEGACY CONTACT
We strongly suggest selecting a legacy contact so your profile can be managed once it’s memorialized.
A legacy contact can accept friend requests on behalf of the profile, pin a tribute post and change the profile picture and cover photo. If the memorialized profile has an area for tributes, a legacy contact can decide who can see and post tributes.
4. REMOVAL
You can choose to have your account permanently deleted upon your death – all messages, photos, posts, comments, reactions, and information will be immediately and permanently removed. Your main profile and any additional Facebook profiles will also be deleted.
HOW TO ADD A LEGACY CONTACT TO YOUR FACEBOOOK ACCOUNT
From a desktop on your main profile, click your profile photo in the top right of Facebook.
Select Settings & Privacy, then click Settings.
Below General Profile Settings, click Memorialization Settings.
Type in a friend’s name in “Choose a Friend” and click add.
To let your friend know they’re now your legacy contact, click send.
To change or remove legacy contact, follow steps 1-3 above, then click remove. From there, add a new legacy contact, if you like.
You must be 18 or older to select a legacy contact.
HOW TO MANAGE A MEMORIALIZED ACCOUNT
If Facebook is notified a person has passed, it’s their policy to memorialize the account. Memorialized accounts are a place for friends and family to gather and share memories, and it prevents others from logging on to the account.
If you’re a legacy contact, you can managed a memorialized profile with these steps:
- Go to the memorialized profile
- In the bottom right of the cover photo, click Manage
- Use the menu on the left to do things like: add a pinned post, respond to new friend requests, or change the profile picture and cover photo
As a legacy contact, you can also request to have the memorialized profile you’re managing removed.
HOW TO REQUEST MEMORIALIZATION
It’s Facebook policy to memorialize an account for someone who has passed if a family member or close friend lets them know. Facebook can not provide login information for someone else’s account, even under these circumstances (it’s against Meta policy). Verified immediate family members may request the removal of a loved one’s account from Facebook.
HOW TO REQUEST REMOVAL
The fastest way for Facebook to process a removal request is to provide a scan or photo of your loved one’s death certificate. If you don’t have a death certificate, you’ll need to provide proof of authority and documentation of your loved one’s passing. Accepted documents include:
Power of attorney
Birth certificate
Last will and testament
Estate letter
Obituary
Memorial card
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