The contents of this website provides general information, is not advice and should not be treated as such.\u00a0 Do not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to legal advice from an attorney and, if you have any specific questions about any legal matter, you should consult your attorney.<\/p>\n
Do Clients Need a \u2018Living Will\u2019 for Facebook?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
Social media giant Facebook released a new security feature this month that allows users to select whether their profiles should continue on after their deaths or be deleted entirely.<\/p>\n
Just like tangible assets and investments, we encourage clients to make decisions now<\/b> regarding how they wish their online assets to be handled upon their deaths. Otherwise, the digital assets risk being lost forever. This includes, but is not limited to, social profiles, email accounts, blogs, photo albums, sound files and other personal websites.<\/p>\n
Facebook users can now appoint a \u201clegacy contact\u201d as a kind of executor to manage certain aspects of their online profile.<\/p>\n
The new policy is possibly a reaction to legislative efforts in various states to pass laws that make it easier for relatives to access a deceased person\u2019s digital files, reports The Boston Globe<\/i>.<\/p>\n
For a legacy contact to assume control of those aspects, Facebook must be notified of the person\u2019s death and confirm it before the profile page is transitioned to a memorial page.<\/p>\n
How it works<\/b><\/p>\n
After the page is placed in memorial, the legacy contact \u2013 usually a close friend or relative \u2013 can update the deceased person\u2019s profile photo, change the cover photo that spreads across top of the person\u2019s profile page, and accept friend requests on behalf of the deceased.<\/p>\n
The legacy contact can update the page by posting a message and pinning it to the top of the status updates for visitors to read. He or she may also download an archive of the person\u2019s photos and status posts. However, the legacy contact will not have access to private messages sent to or by the deceased person.<\/p>\n
Take and keep control<\/b><\/p>\n
Should your client choose to preserve his personal profile page or direct that it be deleted upon notification of death? That\u2019s the decision your client should make sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n
Status updates, photos and notes left on a Facebook profile could one day be incredibly precious to a client\u2019s loved ones. But perhaps that\u2019s not what your client wants? Either way, we suggest clients take advantage of the new security setting and either choose a legacy contact so that their profile is transitioned to a memorial page after death or state that they want their account permanently deleted upon Facebook being notified of their death.<\/p>\n
Digital asset planning<\/b><\/p>\n
As an advisor, you can help clients understand how important online assets like writings and photos can be for loved ones during a time of mourning.<\/p>\n
Finally, we suggest that clients complete a written list or file of all their social networks, online photo galleries, blogs and email accounts, along with passwords and instructions for when someone dies or becomes incapacitated. Many estate planning lawyers provide such services as part of their clients’ estate plan. Keeping that list updated when passwords change is crucial.<\/p>\n
We hope this information was useful to you and helps your clients and their families. If you have a specific case or a question, don\u2019t hesitate to call our office.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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