Our online presence is an integral part of who we are. From sharing life’s biggest moments to staying connected with friends and family, social media has become a significant aspect of our daily lives. But what happens to these accounts when we pass away? Can our digital presence continue beyond the grave? The answer is yes, and it’s something worth considering as part of your overall estate planning.
This article will explore what happens to your social media accounts after you die, the legal tools available to manage them, and how you can ensure your digital legacy is handled according to your wishes.
The Continuing Digital Presence of Celebrities
Celebrities like David Bowie, Carrie Fisher, and Prince have shown us that digital life doesn’t have to end with death. These stars have left their social media accounts in the hands of agents or management companies, ensuring that their legacy continues to thrive online. For example, even years after his passing, David Bowie’s official Facebook page posted about the Odysseus spacecraft landing on the moon, a nod to his iconic “Space Oddity” song.
These posthumous posts help maintain their legacy, celebrate anniversaries, and promote special projects that involve their work. But this isn’t just something reserved for the rich and famous. You, too, can have a say in what happens to your online accounts after you’re gone.
The Legal Framework: RUFADAA
In the United States, the management of digital assets after death is largely governed by the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA). This law gives you the power to decide who can manage your digital assets, including social media accounts, when you’re no longer here.
RUFADAA allows you to designate a personal representative (often referred to as an executor) in your will who will have the authority to access, manage, or close your digital accounts. This includes not only social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram but also email accounts, online banking, and any other digital presence you may have.
What You Can Do Now: Planning Your Digital Legacy
1. Designate a Digital Executor
Just as you would name an executor to manage your financial and physical assets, you can also appoint someone to manage your digital legacy. This person, often called a digital executor, can be the same person as your traditional executor or someone different. The role of the digital executor is to ensure that your online accounts are handled according to your wishes.
In your will, you should specify what you want to be done with each of your accounts. Do you want them to be memorialized? Should they be deactivated? Or would you prefer them to continue operating under someone else’s management? By outlining these preferences clearly, you give your digital executor the guidance they need to carry out your wishes.
2. Prepare a List of Digital Assets
To make things easier for your digital executor, it’s a good idea to prepare a comprehensive list of your digital assets. This list should include all of your social media accounts, email addresses, online subscriptions, and any other significant online presence you have. For each asset, provide the username, password, and any other necessary login information.
However, be cautious about how you store this information. It’s essential to keep it in a secure place, such as a locked safe or an encrypted digital file, and to inform your digital executor of its location.
3. Review Social Media Platform Policies
Each social media platform has its own policies regarding what happens to accounts after the user’s death. Understanding these policies will help you make informed decisions about your digital legacy.
- Facebook: Facebook allows you to choose a legacy contact who will manage your account after you pass away. This person can turn your profile into a memorial page, where friends and family can share memories. Alternatively, you can choose to have your account permanently deleted after your death.
- Instagram: Instagram, owned by Facebook, has similar policies. Your designated representative can request to have your account memorialized or deleted by providing proof of your death, such as a death certificate.
- Twitter: Twitter doesn’t offer a memorialization option. Instead, a designated person can request to have your account deactivated by providing legal documentation and proof of your death.
- LinkedIn: Like Twitter, LinkedIn doesn’t offer memorialization. However, a family member or a representative can request to close your account by providing the necessary documentation.
- Google and Apple: Both Google and Apple offer planning tools that allow you to decide what happens to your account after you die. Google’s Inactive Account Manager lets you choose what happens to your account after a period of inactivity, while Apple allows you to select a Legacy Contact who will have access to your data.
4. Communicate Your Wishes
It’s crucial to communicate your wishes regarding your digital assets to your loved ones. Make sure that your family members and your digital executor know what you want to be done with your social media accounts and other digital assets. Discussing these matters openly can prevent confusion and ensure that your wishes are respected.
Options for Your Social Media Accounts
Depending on your preferences, there are several options for handling your social media accounts after your death:
1. Continue Your Online Presence
Some people may want their social media accounts to continue operating after their death. This might be to maintain a blog, share inspirational posts, or keep a memory alive for friends and family. If this is your wish, you’ll need to provide your digital executor with clear instructions and the necessary login information.
In some cases, social media platforms may allow you to schedule posts in advance, enabling your account to continue sharing content after you’re gone. However, this requires careful planning and clear communication with your digital executor.
2. Memorialize Your Account
Memorializing an account is a popular option for many people. When an account is memorialized, it serves as a digital tribute, allowing friends and family to share memories and pay their respects. Most social media platforms offer a memorialization option, although the specific features and requirements vary from one platform to another.
For example, a memorialized Facebook account will display the word “Remembering” next to the person’s name and prevent anyone from logging into the account. Friends and family can continue to post on the timeline, but no new friend requests can be accepted.
3. Deactivate or Delete Your Account
If you prefer to have your social media presence removed entirely after your death, you can choose to deactivate or delete your accounts. This option may be suitable if you’re concerned about privacy or if you don’t want your online presence to continue after you’re gone.
For most platforms, your digital executor will need to provide proof of your death, such as a death certificate, to deactivate or delete the account. It’s important to include this request in your estate planning documents and to communicate it to your digital executor.
The Importance of Planning
Many people overlook the importance of planning for their digital assets as part of their estate planning. However, as our lives become increasingly digital, it’s essential to consider what will happen to these assets after we’re gone. Without proper planning, your loved ones may face difficulties accessing or managing your accounts, leading to confusion and potential legal complications.
By taking the time to plan your digital legacy, you can ensure that your social media accounts and other digital assets are handled according to your wishes. This not only provides peace of mind for you but also makes things easier for your loved ones during a challenging time.
Steps to Take Today
Planning your digital legacy doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some steps you can take today to ensure your social media accounts are handled as you wish after your death:
- Review Your Current Accounts: Take an inventory of all your social media accounts, email addresses, and other significant online presences. Make a note of the usernames, passwords, and any other necessary login information.
- Decide What You Want: Consider what you would like to happen to each of your accounts after you’re gone. Do you want them to continue operating, be memorialized, or be deleted? Make sure to document your preferences.
- Choose a Digital Executor: Appoint someone you trust to be your digital executor. This person will be responsible for managing your digital assets according to your wishes.
- Include Digital Assets in Your Will: Make sure to include instructions for your digital assets in your will. This will give your digital executor the legal authority to manage your accounts as you have specified.
- Communicate Your Wishes: Talk to your loved ones and your digital executor about your plans. Ensure they know what you want to be done with your social media accounts and other digital assets.
Conclusion
In a world where our digital lives are as important as our physical ones, planning for your social media accounts after your death is a crucial part of estate planning. Whether you want to keep your accounts active, memorialize them, or delete them entirely, the choice is yours. By taking the steps outlined in this article, you can ensure that your digital legacy is managed according to your wishes, providing peace of mind for you and your loved ones.