Facebook After Death: 3 Solutions for Managing an Account in 2023

The Problem

The death of a loved one is an emotionally intense time, and managing their digital presence can often seem overwhelming. At Digital Rest, we understand these difficulties and are here to help. In this article, we will explore the three options available for managing a Facebook account after the death of its owner.

Why Manage a Facebook Account After the Death of its Owner?

Facebook is the most used social network in France and therefore the digital account that most often requires post-mortem management. Birthday reminders, notifications, and shared memories can become disruptive and painful after a death. Worse still, inactive accounts can become the target of hackers, threatening the identity of the deceased and the peace of mind of the family. Hence the need to act. We share with you the testimony of Julien Ménielle, whose deceased mother's account was hacked.

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Who can manage a deceased person's Facebook account?

Anyone in possession of a death certificate, an identity card, and proof of family relationship can request to manage the deceased's Facebook account. It is recommended to discuss this decision with all the heirs to reach a consensus that respects everyone's wishes.

Three options for managing a Facebook account after death

Converting the account to a memorial account:

This is a less common solution than permanently deleting the account. However, we recommend it because it stops all notifications and secures access to the account. You still have the option to delete the account later if you change your mind.

In concrete terms, here are the main characteristics of a memorialization:

• The phrase "In Memory of" appears next to the person's name on their profile.
• Depending on the account's privacy settings, friends can share their memories on the memorial account.
• Content shared by the person (e.g., photos or posts) remains on Facebook and is still visible to the people with whom it was shared.
• Memorial profiles no longer appear in public spaces.
• No one can log in to a memorial account.
• Only the legacy contact can administer the memorial account.

To transform a loved one's account into a memorial account, we've written a guide available here.

Deleting the account:

Deleting a deceased loved one's Facebook account is a permanent solution. However, it remains the most common decision today. Like memorialization, deleting stops all automatic notifications related to your loved one's account. This solution protects the deceased's privacy and identity by preventing anyone from logging into the account, editing the profile, and accessing messages. All conversations you had with the deceased will remain available to you. However, the message "User Deleted" will be displayed instead of your loved one's first name and photo. Remember to download any profile memories you wish to keep before initiating deletion.

To delete a loved one's Facebook account, we've written a guide available here.

Leaving the account as is:

Leaving the account as is, is the solution we do not recommend.

Facebook is not a suitable social network in this context. Yet, it is the solution chosen by some families who have the deceased's email address and password. Indeed, they will decide to continue updating the account as a memorial (for example, by posting new posts or changing their profile picture).

However, we have many connections on Facebook, and not everyone will appreciate this way of commemorating. Grief is unique to each individual. While most will find these notifications particularly incongruous, a minority will take advantage of them to offer a commemorative thought. It is important to consider and respect the choices of this emotional community gathered around the commemoration.

For families wishing to commemorate their loved one online, dedicated and specifically designed solutions exist.

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Call on an expert

Managing the digital presence of a deceased loved one can be complicated and challenging. At Digital Rest, we have already helped over 600 families navigate this difficult situation. Our experts are here to help you, whether it's with a Facebook account or any other aspect of a loved one's digital legacy. Contact us today for professional support and advice.

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