Facebook has rolled out a new feature that will let users decide who will manage their social networking account after they die.
Previously, Facebook would freeze the deceased user’s account, while also add the word “Remembering” next to the person’s name and remove any ads from the profile page. This option for “Memorialized Accounts” is still the default. But now Facebook is letting users in the U.S. to pick a “legacy contact” to post on their page after they die, manage friend requests, update their profile picture and cover photo as well as archive content.
“Facebook is a place to share and connect with friends and family. For many of us, it’s also a place to remember and honor those we’ve lost. When a person passes away, their account can become a memorial of their life, friendships and experiences,” the social networking giant explained in a blog post detailing the new feature.
“Until now, when someone passed away, we offered a basic memorialized account which was viewable, but could not be managed by anyone. By talking to people who have experienced loss, we realized there is more we can do to support those who are grieving and those who want a say in what happens to their account after death.”
“If someone chooses, they may give their legacy contact permission to download an archive of the photos, posts and profile information they shared on Facebook. Other settings will remain the same as before the account was memorialized.”
However, the feature will not let the “Legacy Contact” view or answer private messages sent to the original account holder, edit old posts or delete the entire account, the company noted. Users will also have the option to get their accounts deleted after their death, which was not possible before.
Interested users can add a legacy contact through Settings > Security > Legacy Contact.
The new Legacy contact feature is currently available for U.S. users only; support in other countries is expected to follow soon.
