In today's social media there has come up situations where users, although they are dead, live on virtually. This has happened due to the complexity of an account deletion and transposition meanwhile causing unnecessary pain for the loved ones. This has been a point of dispute for some time. The regulations state that the users must be able to access their own information and have the right to manage it on their lifetime. International laws have failed to regulate what happens with possessing information and account access when the owner dies.

1. What happens with a deceased person's
social media accounts?
By Kristjan-Paul Raude

2. Introduction
In today's social media there has come up
situations where users, although they are dead,
live on virtually. This has happened due to the
complexity of an account deletion and
transposition meanwhile causing unnecessary
pain for the loved ones.

3. Who owns the information we leave behing in social
media?
This has been a point of dispute for some time.
The regulations state that the users must be able
to access their own information and have the
right to manage it on their lifetime. International
laws have failed to regulate what happens with
possessing information and account access when
the owner dies.

4. How to erase the social media account after the death
of the user?
• There is a global intellectual property law for
writings where the heirs have the right to possess
the content for another 60 years after the death of
the author.
• The problem is with online content as law does not
regulate the management of intellectual property
on the Internet after the death of an author.
• Thereof the account management and deleting is
extremely difficult or even impossible for the loved
ones.

5. Facebook
Facebook used to automatically delete account
after a month when the user was declared dead.
On demand of users request Facebook created
memorial function.
Nevertheless, it is believed that Facebook has over
30 million dead accounts.

6. Important rules:
• In order to protect the privacy of the deceased person Facebook
has created memorization pages.
• Facebook does not give away holder ID or password, but asks to
contact via a memorialization request.
• To delete the deceased person’s account an identified loved
ones have to make a request to Facebook. Identified means that
Facebook needs a dead person's birth or death certificates
submitted by the person who is identified by the notary.
• If you want to possess the deceased person’s account profile
and information you need to have a notarial document and
fulfill an application on Facebook's website.
In addition, Facebook notes that the submission of an application
does not guarantee that your request is satisfied.

7. Memorization page
©2012 RAM. All rights reserved.

8. Twitter
Twitter makes account deletion easier but it is still
necessary to have a notarial document that
proves your relation with the deceased one.
Twitter provides an opportunity to close the
account and all the information will be
automatically deleted.

9. Required information for account deletion:
• The username of the deceased user's Twitter
account (e.g., @username or
twitter.com/username)
• A copy of the deceased user’s death certificate
• A copy of your government-issued ID (e.g.,
driver’s license)
• A signed statement by notary

10. LinkedIn
• LinkedIn expects that the account will be shut
down, however LinkedIn maintains the right to use
the account data. To delete the account you need
to contact the customer service and fill in a specific
application.
• The application can be signed digitally and it will be
automatically sent to LinkedIn customer service
and a copy to the applier. To submit the
application you need to know the person’s LinkedIn
registration e-mail, otherwise the application will
be rejected.

11. Google+
Google has different services that are all
connected with each other. Deleting Google
account results in deleting all related account. It is
possible to delete only Google+ account via Gmail
customer service.

12. Two part scheme (Part one):
Google expect to have:
• full name,
• physical mailing address,
• e-mail address,
• a photocopy of the government-issued ID or the driver’s
license,
• the Gmail address
• and the death certificate of the deceased person. If the
document is not in English it should have certified English
translation that has been prepared by a competent
translator and notarized.

13. Two part scheme (Part two):
• If Google decides that the first part was done
correctly, they will ask additional information,
like legal documents, including an order from a
U.S. court and/or additional materials.
When the paperwork is successfully done it is
possible to get an access to the account or shut
down all Google services including Google +.

14. Conclusion
• Each social media environment has different
solution for the problem. However, the common
thread that is needed is a signed document from
loved ones and a death certificate of the deceased
person.
• The difference arises from the fact that some
environments provide access to the account,
others delete it or retain the right to use account
information. The law does not set the rules for
Internet intellectual property as an inheritance.

15. No right solution!
• There are two ways to make it less harmful for
relatives. Either to let them decide what happens
with social media accounts of the deceased person
or let each person set the settings while they are
alive.
• There is no one rule or a right solution across all
social media accounts. It is clear that when
technology keeps such a fast development,
opportunities and environments change, but
mourning psychologically remains the same.
People need time and environment in which to
grieve and to say what left unsaid.

16. About the author
Kristjan-Paul Raude
WSI Online Managing partner
E-mail: kristjan@wsionline.ee
www.wsionline.ee

17. THANK YOU!