What happens to our social media accounts when I die? Do you know what the percentage is of the UK that use social media?

In a survey undertaken in February 2019 the number totalled 3.256 billion people, which is 42% of the global population. In the UK specifically, there are now 45 million social media users. This equates to 67% of the entire population. Of these, 39 million are mobile social media users.

All of us are storing more and more information online; would you know what happens to your online account when you die?

Most of the information stored has sentimental value, for example photographs, email folders and documents stored in the cloud.  It will also have your banking details etc.

What will happen to my Facebook Account?

  • You can choose to either appoint a legacy contact to look after your Memorialised Account. Or you can have your account permanently deleted from Facebook. If you do not choose to have your account deleted, then the account will be memorialised if Facebook become aware of your passing.
  • A Legacy contact is someone you choose to look after your account if it is memorialised. It is strongly advised that a legacy contact is set against your account. This is to ensure that your account can be managed following your death.

What will happen to my Twitter Account?

  • In the event of the death of a Twitter user, a person authorised to act on behalf of the Estate, or an immediate family member of the deceased, will be able to have the account deactivated.
  • It is also possible to request the removal of a deceased user’s account. However, Twitter will require a copy of ID from the person making the request, as well as a copy of the death certificate.
  • Twitter clearly states that it will not give access to a deceased user’s account regardless of his or hers relationship to the family member or friend requesting authorisation

What will happen to my Pinterest and Instagram Accounts?

  • Instagram asks that friends and relatives get in touch via email to notify them that a user has died. The picture-sharing app asks for proof of death.
  • Pinterest will not hand over log in details for a deceased user, but it will deactivate their account if you send an email with a list of the information required, including proof of the user’s death.

What happens to my email Account?

  • Google users can set up an Inactive Account Manager to delete their email account after a period of inactivity.
  • Gmail will allow a friend or a relative to apply to obtain the contents of the deceased person’s email account.
  • Yahoo will let relatives and friends delete an account, if they have proof of death.

Users of email accounts normally have the option of setting an Inactive Account Manager, which will share or delete your account after a set period of inactivity.

What happens to my Apple Accounts?

Apple, unlike other social media accounts work differently. iCloud and iTunes accounts are non-transferable. This means that any rights to the information terminate when the user of the social media accounts dies.

If Fisher Jones Greenwood Solicitors are able to assist you in the planning for your future, then please do not hesitate to contact us on 01206 700113 or email [email protected].