What happens when the owner of a profile on a social network dies? This question that we asked ourselves a lot was also asked by the social platforms themselves, some of which are the ones they added concrete measures for these cases.
In this article we will focus on Instagram to explain what can be done with an account of this social network when its owner has passed away.
Several studies have already analyzed how in social networks the number of deceased users will increase within a few decades. One of these is the one made by the Oxford Internet Institute (OII), which points out that on Facebook, dead users can be over 50 years old.
Although the average age of Instagram users is lower than that of Facebook, this problem also directly affects them.
After learning what happens on Facebook when an account holder dies, let's see how to deal with this situation with an Instagram profile.
When the owner of an Instagram account dies, there can be several cases
How to delete a deceased person's Instagram account
When the owner of an Instagram account dies, it can happen that the his relatives want to eliminate their presence sul social network.
To do this, what they need to do is ask Instagram to delete their loved one's account. Only direct family members of the user can do so, as explained by Instagram.
This management requires the provision of some documents by family members so that the company verifies that the account holder is really deceased and that those who ask for their elimination are direct relatives.
After completing the cancellation request of a deceased person on Instagram, the documents to be sent are as follows:
- The birth certificate of the deceased.
- The death certificate of the deceased.
- Proof, according to local law, that you are the legal representative of the deceased or his heir.
After receiving the form and documents, Instagram will analyze the question to verify that the applicant is a direct relative.
Once you have confirmed that your request complies with the rules, yes will proceed with the cancellation of the deceased person's Instagram account.
How to commemorate a deceased person's Instagram account
Another option Instagram has is to turn the account into a commemorative profile for honor the deceased person.
If the family requests it, the contents of the account remain intact, but the "In memory of" label is added above their name.
This measure was added in mid-2020 by Instagram to remember someone's life after their death, like actress Naya Rivera, whose account became commemorative after his death.
These accounts have some key features:
- No one, not even family members, can access to a commemorative account.
- The word "In remembrance of" will appear next to the person's name on their profile.
- The posts that the user has shared (photos and videos included) will remain on Instagram and the audience with whom they were shared will be able to see them. Nobody will be able to make changes to posts or account information.
- Memorial accounts don't appear in certain places on Instagram, like the Explore section.
Along with the request to make a commemorative account, Instagram requires that the relative or friend of the deceased attach an obituary or a notice in the newspaper to confirm that the owner of the profile has passed away.
Another option: keep the Instagram account intact
Another alternative when the holder of an Instagram account dies is that the its profile remains intact, without deleting it or making it commemorative.
If the relatives take no action regarding the account, the users with whom the deceased shared his publications will still be able to access the content.
Another different case is that of celebrities like Kobe Bryant, whose Instagram account is still being updated by his relatives.
As we have seen in this article, platforms like Instagram or Facebook already have certain procedures for those accounts whose owners have died.
This should be something common in the future in other social networks such as Twitter, which should make it easier for the relatives of the deceased to cancel the account or convert it to a commemorative one to celebrate the person's life.
