Have you chosen your Facebook executor/executrix?
Yesterday, Facebook announced that you can now appoint someone to oversee your Facebook after your death . It's actually an option to choose one of your friends, but they don't know they've been selected until you passed.
I was going to mock this as something totally pointless until I remembered that I already had specific instructions written up for my best childhood friend to post to social media should I pass on. I had contemplated the question of how people would find out if I died after finding out about two friends' unexpected deaths via Facebook. on the surface, it seems like a small issue, but when you get news of someone's death, it holds a lot of weight, and I would like someone to handle it graciously.
I chose my best friend because I know my husband would be too busy and probably too distraught and doesn't even like Facebook anyway. Also, I'm an alternate executrix of my friends estate (I'll manage it if his wife precedes him in death), so I suppose I can trust that he won't change my profile picture to something unflattering the minute I kick the bucket.
The big question here is do you really care what happens to your "Facebook legacy" like some news articles call it or are you concerned about friends being notified of your death? Who are you going to appoint as your social media administrator?
#fopp facebook
Comments
melody23 wrote on February 13, 2015, 12:00 PM
I read something about this recently. the only thing I really think I would want anyone to have is the pictures I don't have many pictures on there but some are the type that I would want of my friends to remember them by if that makes sense. I don't really want my profile to continue to live forever, just that someone gets the photos to do what they think appropriate with, perhaps send a copy to the people in them or something like that.
nbaquero wrote on February 13, 2015, 12:04 PM
MsBiz That is a sign of the times, something we wouldn't be concerned about 20 years ago. I would probably do something similar to what you are doing, but would have that person close the account upon my passing.
LeaPea2417 wrote on February 13, 2015, 12:26 PM
I have really never given this a thought until you posted this. I will have to give it some thought now.
phoenixmaid wrote on February 13, 2015, 4:57 PM
Oh I don't think I'd want anyone "managing my facebook" after I pass (to be fair i barely manage it now) I suppose I'd want my family to have access so they can grab photos they wanted but i dont really put many on there and my photos are all on a hard drive anyway. I guess I'll just leave my password in a diary and let them decided between themselves.
crowntower wrote on February 13, 2015, 5:54 PM
I don't know I am not a social addict and I don't think about that, Iam more in the real life. I mean I am not the type of person who are so loved by many hehehehe... So I guesI won't be needing it should I die. Hehehehhe God bless.
DWDavisRSL wrote on February 13, 2015, 8:24 PM
I heard about this Facebook executor thing the other day and still can't make up my mind as to whether or not it is something I'd be inclined to do.
wolfgirl569 wrote on February 13, 2015, 9:14 PM
I am not too worried about it, the ones that need to know will.
GemOfAGirl wrote on February 14, 2015, 1:20 AM
I've not given much thought to it, but I know it's important.
This article has prompted me to write one of my own!
http://www.personapaper.com/article/23936-virtual-communities-virtual-memorials-aka-facebook-after-death
MsBiz wrote on February 14, 2015, 3:03 PM
I wrote it off as being silly until I remembered the situation with one of my out-of-state friends. Last year, I was talking to her online in the morning, and by that evening, she had passed away. Her husband was too distraught to call all of her friends that weren't geographically close to him, so social media was the only way I found out what happened quickly.
MsBiz wrote on February 14, 2015, 3:06 PM
I think that's what I'm going to do. I actually talked to my friend I appointed about it, and he's going to download the pictures, email them to people in them at appropriate times, and then delete my account at some point after he post a sticky about things like funeral arrangements. Provided FB is still around when I pass on
MsBiz wrote on February 14, 2015, 3:07 PM
It's funny how we have to change our plans with the times. Like you, I don't think I would want a permanent memorial page, but I do think it would be useful to share things like funeral information and where to make charitable donations.
MsBiz wrote on February 14, 2015, 3:09 PM
It seem pretty insignificant to me until I realized how much I've used social media to keep in touch when people are seriously ill or dying. I think this is going to become an increasingly important issue for people to consider.
MsBiz wrote on February 14, 2015, 3:10 PM
That's what I had done previously. I have a notebook in my dresser with all of my passwords to all my accounts. I figured people might at least want pictures or a post about things like funeral arrangements.
MsBiz wrote on February 14, 2015, 3:12 PM
While I'm quite the introvert, I have quite a few close friends spread out across the world. I know how much I cherish their pictures, so I'm guessing they might want some of us should social media still be trendy at the time I leave for greener pastures.
MsBiz wrote on February 14, 2015, 3:13 PM
At first, I wasn't going to do it, but when I ended up talking over with my friend I picked, it seemed that there really was a lot to talk about. In the end, it seems more like traditional estate planning them when I would've originally thought.
MsBiz wrote on February 14, 2015, 3:14 PM
Going to read your article now!
melody23 wrote on February 14, 2015, 3:40 PM
Yeah that's exactly what I would like to happen with mine.
GemOfAGirl wrote on February 14, 2015, 3:49 PM
I hope you enjoyed it!
ElfenLied21 wrote on February 14, 2015, 11:50 PM
I did not even know about it. Not sure who I would choose to be honest.
Glenn wrote on July 19, 2015, 5:53 PM
MsBiz - I don't use Facebook. But this also applies to any online activity we have, especially if we are making money from online articles. I get a monthly payment for my articles I wrote on HubPages and you reminded me that I really should arrange for an executor of my estate to have access to that account after I'm gone. I would think that the social media administrator should be the same person chosen as executor.