Who Gets Access to Your Facebook When you Die?

Most people have social media accounts. In Asia,US, and Europe the laws have provided little guidance as to what happens to theseaccounts once you pass away. In most Asian countries, the ownership of yourpersonal data goes back to the companies. However, US privacy laws protect userprivacy even when you die. In fact, some Internet service providers areconcerned about violating privacy laws so companies in the US are less likelyto make your information public.

The companies in charge of social media accounts havehandled inactive accounts in a variety of different ways. Facebook canmemorialize your page, which prevents people from logging on to your inactiveaccount. Twitter will deactivate your account so long as a death certificate issent to the company. Google has enacted an inactive account manager app, whichtransfers your idol account to a delegated user after your death.

Estate Planners recommend drafting a will so thatyour personal representative will gain access to your social media accounts.For people without a will services such as “Perpetu” will help you manage youraccounts post mortem. Despite these helpful services, there is some concernabout conflicts between the estate plan and the account services. For some, itis much easier to keep an updated list of all of your accounts with theircorresponding passwords to avoid the headache. 

See When you Die Does Your Facebook Go Too?, Wall Street Journal Live , Aug. 14, 2013.