Can Twitter and Facebook deal with their dead?

 

Gallery

By Stewart Mitchell

Posted on 12 Aug 2010 at 10:40

Such a move would mirror Facebook's policy on using a dead user's account as a memorial, where existing friends can post messages or condolences. Psychiatrists we have spoken to say such memorials can help in dealing with bereavement in the same way as going to a funeral or leaving flowers at a crash site.

However, while some have called for more access to their relatives' accounts, privacy rules dictate that personal details should be protected.

Today, you get a shoe box full of pictures, tomorrow you will get a Flickr account

There are, for example, very good reasons why someone may have kept the email messages in their Facebook account secret from their family, and discovering those details after a bereavement may cause unforeseen unpleasantness.

According to Facebook, when the next of kin provides proof of death for an account, the company makes several changes to the privacy settings of an account and blocks access to prevent anyone unauthorised from logging in to the user's account and reading private message, or even sending fake messages from the grave.

“When an account is memorialised, we also set privacy so that only confirmed friends can see the profile or locate it in search,” the company said in a statement.

“We try to protect the deceased's privacy by removing sensitive information such as contact information and status updates. Memorialising an account also prevents anyone from logging into it in the future, while still enabling friends and family to leave posts on the profile Wall in remembrance.”

That said, that are plenty of forums posters who complain that Facebook has not been quick enough in dealing with requests to deactivate accounts following the death of a relative.

Legacy Lockers

The two main social networks may be addressing the issue, but they are only a small part of peoples' online footprint. Sorting out all the loose ends online can be complicated, which is why companies such as Legacy Locker have found a niche, by providing a service that treats online assets in the same way that a will covers offline provision.

“Today, you get a shoe box full of pictures, tomorrow you will get a Flickr account,” said Legacy Locker CEO, Jeremy Toeman in his blog. “Today, you get a diary, tomorrow you will get a blog.”

Given the complexity of getting a loved one's affairs in order at what is already a stressful time, some feel there should be more help in dealing with accounts left active.

The Bereavement Register, for example, was set up after complaints from the public over being reminded of their loss each time the postman delivered junk mail in the name of the deceased. Staff there believe a similar system would help online.

“The Bereavement Register is a free consumer service backed by Government departments, which removes deceased records from company databases,” said a spokesperson for the service. “This stops the bereaved from receiving direct mail, which can be a painful daily reminder.

“While a few people may be comforted by receiving direct mail addressed to a loved one who has died, we find that the vast majority of people prefer it to stop and it would be a really good idea if there was a similar service for online accounts.”

In the meantime, social networkers and anyone with a large online portfolio should consider setting up and maintaining a file that includes details of accounts and, where appropriate, passwords so that the next of kin or executer can take control of accounts after death.