If passed, a bill pending in Nebraska would make it the second state to give estate representatives the authority to handle social media accounts after a state resident’s death. The bill would allow appointed representatives to manage Facebook, Twitter, and email accounts as digital assets and would grant the representative the power to access, contribute to, or close accounts. Oklahoma enacted a similar law last year, and the Oregon State Bar is currently studying the issue and may propose legislation next year.
See Debra Cassens Weiss, What Happens to Your Facebook page After Death? Nebraska Bill Gives Say-So to Estate Representative, ABA Journal, Mar. 19, 2012.
Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.)) for bringing this article to my attention.
