The forty-somethings and older are "friending" on Facebook. In fact,
they are the fastest growing demographic in social media. Social media networks
are huge and everyone from grandparents to tweens are finding their place
online. Online information is enormously important, and has become a source of
new ethical and legal issues. Including:
Who gets control of online information
when people die?
If this seems like a silly question, think
about all the information the average person keeps online. Chances are, it’s a
vast amount of personal information like contacts and friends, as well as
business documents, personal finance and more.
Besides the primary issue of who gets control
of online information, a myriad of other questions may plague the relatives of
the deceased.
Who has essential passwords to access
information? Who will check email? Who will notify the email list that someone
has passed away? What will happen to social media accounts? Who will get
control of domain names?
As professionals who deal with death and
final issues, these topics provide an insight into a cultural change that can
impact funeral directors and the services they choose to offer.
