When you pass on, what happens to your life online and social media accounts? Every social media platform has its own way of handling accounts after someone has died—some remove them entirely, while others turn them into spaces for remembrance. Without a plan, your social media accounts could be inaccessible to your loved ones and left in a state of pseudo-purgatory. That’s why it’s important to know what these options are and make a plan, so your digital legacy is treated the way you’d like. Let’s walk through the different policies of the major platforms and see how you can plan ahead. After all, our social media profiles tell our stories and will live on beyond our lives, so it’s worth taking the time to ensure they’re handled with care.
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS – LEGACY POLICIES
Let’s take a look at some of the most common social media plaforms to see how you can protect your digital footprint after your gone.
Facebook gives you two choices for handling accounts after someone has passed away: you can either close the account permanently or turn it into a memorial space where friends and family can share memories. While you’re still around, you can choose a “Legacy Contact” – or, in other words, someone you trust to manage your account after you’re gone. They’ll be able to update your profile picture, accept friend requests, and post tributes. However, they won’t be able to log in or see any of your private messages. Visit this link to set your legacy contact: Add, change, or remove your legacy contact on Facebook
Instagram also gives you the option to either memorialize or permanently delete an account after someone has passed away. A memorialized account will have a “Remembering” label, and it won’t show up in public areas like the “Explore” section. To make this happen, someone will need to provide proof of death, like a death certificate, after you’re gone. Visit this link to set your instagram preferences for your account: Request a deceased person’s Intagram account be memorialized
TIK TOK
TikTok allows legal representatives or family members to request that a deceased user’s account be deactivated by providing the necessary proof of their death. TikTok doesn’t have a memorialization option at this time. Once the request is processed, the user’s account will be permanently deleted. Report an account | TikTok Help Center
X
X (formerly known as Twitter – and which I will never have it in me to call “X,” and it still makes me feel like I’m talking about Prince back in the day, thanks Elon)…. lets a deceased user’s family request closure of their account. Once proof of death is submitted, the account is permanently deleted. Unlike some other platforms, X (twitter) doesn’t offer a memorialization option. Contacting X about a deceased family member’s account
YOU TUBE (GOOGLE)
YouTube falls under Google’s broader policies, which include a feature called Inactive Account Manager. This tool lets you set up instructions for what happens to your account if you’re inactive for a certain period. You can decide whether to share your data with trusted individuals or have the account deleted altogether. About a year ago, I set this up and in the event that I don’t sign into my e-mail for three months, my wife will get an e-mail that grants her access to my e-mail and my entire Google Suite. Submit a request regarding a deceased user’s account – Google Account Help
On LinkedIn, immediate family or colleagues can request to have a deceased member’s profile removed by providing proof of death. If you aren’t authorized to act on the deceased person’s behalf, you may request to have the profile memorialized. Memorialize or close the account of a deceased member | LinkedIn Help
Memorializing or Closing a Social Media Account
It’s crucial to understand that social media platforms advise against logging into a deceased person’s account due to privacy and security concerns. To close or memorialize your account, reach out to the platform directly and provide the required documentation. Unfortunately, loved ones will need to figure out the specific process for each site, which can be a frustrating and time-consuming task. But with a little bit of effort and time, you can create a plan that guides your loved ones through this process, and for that, having a trusted estate planning attorney that can incorporate your social media and digital accounts into your overall plan is key.
How an Estate Planning Attorney Can Help Manage Your Digital Footprint
A trusted estate planning attorney is essential for managing your digital legacy, making sure your wishes for online accounts are respected after you’re gone. Here’s how you can ensure your loved ones have the information and authority they need to manage your accounts:
1. Create a Digital Asset Plan
An estate planning attorney can help you create a digital asset plan that outlines your wishes for each of your online accounts. This plan can specify which accounts you’d like closed, and which you’d like memorialized. At FWLLS, we give you several documents that allow you to maintain and update these directives to your loved ones over time, which can then be placed in your binder and
Your attorney can also assist in appointing an executor (or your own personal social media Czar if you will), who is a trusted person in your life who is authorized and granted legal authority to manage your online presence and accounts as you’ve directed. With their expertise, your attorney can explain the responsibilities involved and ensure the executor has the necessary documents, so that they will have the proper legal authority to work with different digital platforms on your behalf.
2. Provide Legal Documentation
An experienced attorney can prepare the essential legal documents that authorize your executor to access your accounts. This may involve specific powers of attorney and directives, or the proper authorizations and language included in your will, trust, or even as a separate document.
If you’d like to learn more about the differences between having a Will, or a Trust, feel free to read our prior article, Why “Just a Will” Is Never Enough | Family, Wealth & Legacy Legal Solutions
3. Secure Your Information
An attorney can recommend secure methods for storing your account usernames, passwords, and other essential information. This ensures your personal and private account information will remain private and protected, while you are alive and well, but allow your loved ones and digital executor or a designated individual to access your accounts when needed after your passing.
4. Update Your Plan and Keep Your Digital Estate Up-To-Date
As laws and platform policies evolve, an attorney can help you keep your digital estate plan up-to-date. This can help you ensure that your plan stays compliant as new regulations and rules continue to evolve, so that your wishes are accurately reflected and maintained over time. That way, you and your loved ones are prepared to properly handle your social media accounts after you pass.
However, it’s worth noting that many estate planning attorneys handle clients on a “one and done” basis. As we always like to explain, for the majority of so-called “estate planning attorneys” out there they are providing a service known as transactional law. Their only “relationship” with you is during the planning process and as our digital lives and the platforms evolve, they do not have a process to continue communicating with you or advising you on the evolution of our modern-day world. Simply put, once your plan is signed, they typically won’t reach out to keep it current, leaving you at risk. Instead, consider working with someone who will maintain contact over your lifetime, ensuring your plan stays effective when you need it most. That way, as your life and technology evolve, your estate plan and all of the new developments in our lives will as well.
Family Wealth & Legacy Legal Solutions (FWLLS)
At Family Wealth & Legacy Legal Solutions (FWLLS), we don’t just provide legal advice; we protect all your assets and guide you to make the right decisions for your unique circumstances. At our firm, located in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, we take the time to understand what truly matters to you, working together to build a thoughtful, comprehensive plan so you and your family can avoid the stress, conflict, and confusion of incomplete planning — including digital planning.
If you want to learn more about our unique approach to estate planning or what happens to your social media accounts after you die, schedule a complimentary 15-minute call with our office to begin protecting your family, wealth and legacy.