This morning I was reading an article by Forbes magazine that I attached a link to below. Apparently now Facebook has a “Legacy Contact” that lets you decide what happens to your social network profiles when you die. This is a good sign to me as a Palm Beach Probate Attorney, I want people thinking about their legacy and what to do with their assets. Facebook is something most people check on as religiously as their email (some even more frequently!) and if Facebook is thinking about people’s legacy, hopefully it will be on the national conscious too.
- The Facebook “Legacy Contact” has a lot in common with Florida Probate proceedings, so some of this may be common sense for probate attorneys my hope is that after users utilize this service it will be common sense for the public as well. Here is a quick run down from the Forbes article and some of the things I see that relate to Florida Probate.
- Up until recently, Facebook simply froze your account when you died.
- The profile still existed but nothing new could be added or taken away and nobody could access or manage the account.
- The legacy contact is a much more elegant and sympathetic way for Facebook to address the death of members.
- Death of members has become much more common now that (i) more and more people including the elderly use Facebook and (ii) now that user lists are skyrocketing
- People have been selecting where their assets go for centuries, now they can do the same with their digital profiles.
- Digital assets are not new, reward point systems, amazon stores and other digital assets have been showing up in wills a lot recently.
Much like in Probate the Legacy Contact has limited power, as the Forbes article noted:
“Before the legacy contact is activated, Facebook has to verify that you’re actually dead and memorialize your Facebook account. A family member or friend must notify Facebook that you’re deceased and provide proof, such as an obituary, death certificate, or some other documentation indicating you’ve died.
The Facebook legacy contact can write a post that will be pinned to the top of the profile as an announcement of a memorial service or funeral proceedings, a final message, or any other information they wish to share. The legacy contact can also respond to new friend requests and change or update the profile and cover photos.
You’re not simply handing over your Facebook profile, though. There are also things the legacy contact can’t do. The legacy contact will not be able to delete posts or pictures, or remove friends. They will also not be able to access or view any of your private messages in Facebook Messenger.”
Here is how to choose a legacy contact on Facebook at least under the interface at the time of this posting:
- To assign a legacy contact for your Facebook account click on the arrow at the upper right of Web page and select Settings.
- Then click Security in the left pane and you will see Legacy Contact listed at the bottom.
- You can edit the legacy contact setting to designate a family member or close friend to manage your account in the event of your untimely demise.
- There is a checkbox to allow your legacy contact to download a copy of your Facebook posts, photos, videos, and information from the “About” section of your profile.
- You also have the option of simply having Facebook permanently delete your account rather than selecting a legacy contact.
Want to learn more about legacy contacts directly from Facebook read more here;https://www.facebook.com/help/1568013990080948
Here is the Forbes article: http://www.forbes.com/sites/tonybradley/2015/02/13/facebook-legacy-contact-lets-you-decide-what-happens-to-your-social-network-when-you-die/