Online is Eternal

There has been quite a bit of controversy lately about what to do with online profiles like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other social media and online accounts, whose account holders have passed away. It is a delicate subject, but it is a very real concern for friends and families who are reminded of their deceased loved ones every time they log-in to their own accounts. It is a curious thing. I have very good friend who passed away a year ago, and I was so deep in grief, it wouldn't have occurred to me to take her off of my friends list, I just assumed that her profile would've been deleted by Facebook eventually. A few weeks ago, it was her birthday. I saw the birthday reminder when I logged into my Facebook account, and memories of her beautiful face, her laugh and her kind voice came rushing back. I wasn't prepared for that. I clicked to her Facebook page, and discovered that there were still people who didn't know she had passed, and were conversing with each other on her wall, wishing her happy birthday, asking if they could give her a call when they were in town. 

The question is, what should happen to those profiles when the account holders have passed away? In the United States, several states are attempting to pass legislation that would provide loved ones with legal possession of social media profiles and online accounts of the deceased, giving them the ability to delete the accounts and memorialize them in their own way. There is definitely some concern, however, that there might be confidential information within such accounts, and there is the concern of the ensuring that the individuals past remains private, even after death. This is definitely a worthwhile piece of legislation, when it does pass, should serve as a reminder to all of us, to be conscious about how much of your life you share with the online community. This is also something to consider when you consult with a paralegal to draw up your will and testament.