Facebook introduces “digital wills”

Facebook today announced a feature it calls Legacy Contact, a setting that allows users to pick an individual who'll have access to their account after they pass away. After Facebook is able to verify the user's death (through its Memorialisation Request feature), their legacy contact is able write a post to display at the top of the user's timeline, respond to new friend requests, and update the profile picture and cover photo.

If a user chooses so, a legacy contact is also able to download an archive of photos, posts and profile information shared on Facebook. Legacy contacts are not able to log in as the deceased, or see their private messages.

Setting up a legacy contact is an optional process, and users can instead elect to have their Facebook account permanently deleted after their (verified) deaths.

Legacy Contact is only available in the United States at the moment, but Facebook is looking to deploy the feature worldwide.

Source: Facebook Newsroom

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