Facebook users can now control their pages after they die.
The social media company has unveiled a new tool that lets users determine what happens to their accounts after they die – a sort of “living will” for their pages.
New settings now allow users to have their profiles deleted or have a “legacy contact” or executor to manage their accounts after death.
Until now, the status of Facebook accounts after death was murky. Families could ask the company to take down their pages but conflicts between family members sometimes arose, says a story in the Boston Globe.
Now, the user’s legacy contact can update a memorial page including a prepared-in-advance message from the deceased.
The action comes after legislators in some states have been pushing for laws to allow family members access to a person’s digital files. Facebook and other digital media sites have opposed such legislation.
If you have questions about estate planning, feel free to contact us for a consultation at (626) 696-3145.
