So many people prepare for the “what happens to my stuff, bank accounts, and other personal items if something were to happen to me” by drafting a Will, Power of Attorney or a Trust. But what are people doing about their social media accounts? Facebook uses what’s called a Legacy Contact to allow access to your social media account once you have passed away. We are living in a world of social media, with Facebook being the number one social media platform used to stay in touch with family and friends, voice opinions, look for recommendations and advertise businesses, just to name a few.
When we think about the number of people in the world, we often forget how many people use Facebook on a daily basis. In a recent article published by J. Clement at the end of January 2020, Facebook was reported to have 2.5 billion monthly active users at the end of 2019.
Whew! Amazing numbers when you really think about it. But what happens to your Facebook account should something happen to you? If you didn’t know, Facebook has the option to designate a legacy contact person. A legacy contact is someone you choose to look after your account if it’s memorialized. If you add a legacy contact, that person will be able to make decisions about your account once it is memorialized.
Your legacy contact can:
- Write a pinned post for your profile (example: to share a final message on your behalf or provide information about a memorial service).
- Update your profile picture and cover photo.
- Request the removal of your account.
- Download a copy of what you’ve shared on Facebook if you have this feature turned on.
Your legacy contact can’t:
- Log into your account.
- Read your messages.
- Remove any of your friends or make new friend requests.
So, there you have it, you can still control your Facebook feed from the afterworld (with a little help from your friend)! But remember, not all of your estate affairs can be managed that way. We share this post to remind you that estate planning is important. King Law wants to help you preserve your estate and everything you have worked for. Visit our website or give us a call at 888-748-5464 (KING) and let us help you get your affairs in order.