What happens to your social media account in its afterlife?

When someone dies, their digital footprint doesn't automatically vanish. According to ABC News Australia, platforms like Facebook archive years of photos, videos, and memories—but accessing or managing a deceased person's account often proves surprisingly complicated. Take Marija Milisavljević, who wanted to memorialize her late husband's Facebook profile to preserve their family memories. Meta does offer a memorial option, but the process lacks transparency and isn't user-friendly for grieving families. It raises a fundamental question: as our lives increasingly move online, who should control our digital legacy when we're gone? Tech companies still haven't solved how to balance privacy with remembrance.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton