With over 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook has become an integral part of many people’s lives. It’s a place to connect with friends and family, share life events, and leave your mark on the digital world. But what happens to someone’s Facebook profile when they pass away? Memorializing an account is Facebook’s solution for honoring someone’s memory while also protecting their privacy.
What does it mean to memorialize a Facebook account?
Memorializing an account essentially freezes it in time. The Wall, profile pictures, and timeline remain intact so friends and family can continue looking back on memories. But memorialized accounts have added privacy protections:
- No one can log into the account
- Profile and cover photos stay the same
- Friends can still post on the timeline in remembrance
- Account won’t show up in “People You May Know” suggestions
- Memorialized accounts don’t appear in notifications inviting friends to connect
In summary, memorializing preserves an account’s legacy and prevents uncomfortable situations like birthday reminders or inappropriate tagging. The account becomes read-only so it can serve as a place for loved ones to gather in mourning.
Who can memorialize a Facebook account?
Facebook has a hierarchy for who can submit memorialization requests:
- Immediate family members can memorialize an account first
- If no family member memorializes it, a close friend can submit a request
- An executor can also contact Facebook to memorialize an account
The order ensures accounts are memorialized by those closest to the deceased. And Facebook requires proof of death, like an obituary, before memorializing an account to prevent false submissions.
How is a Facebook account memorialized?
If you need to memorialize a loved one’s account, follow these steps:
- Go to the Memorialization Request Form on Facebook
- Enter the deceased person’s name and Facebook URL
- Indicate your relationship to the deceased
- Attach proof of death like a link to an obituary
- Click send to submit the request
Facebook will typically process the request within 24 hours. They may reach out for additional verification. Once memorialized, the word “Remembering” will appear next to the person’s name:
If immediate family didn’t memorialize the account, Facebook saves the request for 30 days in case family wishes to submit it first.
Can a memorialized account ever be deleted?
While Facebook prefers memorializing accounts to outright deleting them, they do allow for permanent removal under certain circumstances:
- If no one memorializes the account within 30 days of the death being reported
- Immediate family provides consent to delete the account
- There’s valid proof the account violates Facebook terms (fake identity, etc.)
Unless the family specifically requests deletion, Facebook will memorialize accounts to respect the deceased’s legacy. But the option for deletion exists if the circumstances call for permanent removal.
What’s the difference between deactivating and memorializing an account?
Deactivating and memorializing do very different things:
| Deactivating | Memorializing |
|---|---|
| Temporarily disables account but all information remains | Permanently freezes account in read-only status |
| Account can be reactivated by logging back in | Account can never be logged into again |
| Primarily used to take a social media break | Used to honor deceased people’s legacies |
Deactivating is temporary and reversible, while memorializing is permanent. They achieve very different ends for the account holder.
Can you tell if an account is memorialized?
There are a few clear indicators that a Facebook account has been memorialized:
- The word “Remembering” appears next to the name
- Profile and cover photos remain static over time
- New friends stop being added
- Timeline has no new posts by the account holder
Beyond those signs, clicking on the account’s About section will directly state “Remembering [person’s name].” So memorialized accounts are reasonably easy to identify and distinguish from active profiles.
What happens to messages after memorialization?
Facebook suspends some account features after memorialization, but messages function a bit differently:
- Friends can still message the account to express condolences
- Memorialized accounts sent via delivery receipts if messaged
- New messages just can’t be initiated by the account holder
So memorializing does not completely disable messaging capabilities. But only incoming messages remain functional to preserve conversations.
Can you memorialize someone else’s account?
Typically only immediate family and executors can memorialize an account. However, Facebook does allow anyone to report a deceased person to start the memorialization process. If you need to memorialize a friend’s account:
- Go to Facebook Help and select “Report a deceased person’s account”
- Enter the person’s name and Facebook URL
- Facebook contacts the account’s legacy contact or family to memorialize
While you can’t directly memorialize in this case, reporting the account initiates the process. Facebook then verifies and contacts the appropriate people to honor the legacy.
Can you reverse account memorialization?
Memorialization is designed to be permanent, but Facebook does allow it to be undone in one case – if the account was memorialized by mistake. For example:
- The person was incorrectly reported as deceased
- An obituary with mistaken information was submitted
- It was a case of mistaken identity
The purported deceased person or an immediate family member can contact Facebook to provide proof of life and reverse the mistaken memorialization. Barring those rare cases, memorialization is irreversible.
Does Facebook notify contacts about memorialized accounts?
When an account gets memorialized, Facebook does not directly notify the deceased person’s friends and family. However, it becomes apparent when:
- The “Remembering” label appears on the profile
- The account stops posting or interacting
- Facebook may show profile badges like “In memory”
While there’s no explicit notification, the changes get conveyed through the account’s limited status. And many families will post customary in memoriam updates.
Can you still access messages after memorialization?
Yes, prior conversations are still retrievable after memorialization. While no new messages can be sent from the account, friends and family can access past messages by:
- Going to the Message Folder
- Clicking the name of the memorialized account
- Scrolling through previous message history
The ability to look back on exchanges with deceased loved ones can provide comfort during the grieving process. Past messages remain available even if the account is memorialized.
Do memorialized accounts still show up in People You May Know?
One key privacy feature of memorialized accounts is that Facebook no longer suggests them to other users in People You May Know. This is to prevent uncomfortable reminders popping up.
However, memorialized accounts may still show up in People You May Know under two circumstances:
- If you were Facebook friends before the account was memorialized
- If you have many mutual friends in common
In those cases, Facebook assumes the person is someone you know well despite their passing. But memorialized accounts otherwise won’t appear as suggestions to connect.
Can you share posts with a memorialized account?
While memorialized accounts are frozen, friends can still tag and share content on the deceased person’s timeline. When sharing posts, memorialized accounts have these capabilities:
- Can be @tagged in posts/photos
- Will receive post notifications just no emails
- Won’t be notified to wish friends a happy birthday
- Can still be checked into locations on posts
So memorialized accounts retain some interactions even if they can’t actively respond. Friends can still share memories and tag the account in relevant posts.
What are Facebook legacy contacts?
Legacy contacts are Facebook’s solution for account management if an active user passes away. Users can select a legacy contact to:
- Post on your timeline announcing a memorial service
- Respond to new friend requests
- Update profile picture and cover photo
- Request account removal
Legacy contacts essentially inherit limited account controls after the original holder dies. It allows for some account upkeep while memorialized.
How to set up a Facebook legacy contact
Adding a legacy contact is simple but important:
- Go to your Facebook General Account Settings
- Click Memorialization Settings
- Type in a friend’s name and click Add
- They’ll receive a request to be your legacy contact
Just make sure you choose a trusted friend or family member. They’ll be able to make sensitive decisions about your account if you pass away.
Managing multiple legacy contacts
You can assign multiple legacy contacts if you’d like. The key considerations are:
- The first person assigned is the main legacy contact
- They have final say if legacy contacts disagree
- Any legacy contact can memorialize an account
So having multiple simply provides more points of contact after your passing. But the first designated contact takes precedence in decisions.
Conclusion
Memorializing a Facebook account allows you to honor someone’s life while protecting their privacy. The process preserves their photos, posts, and memories without compromising sensitive account access. And Facebook provides useful legacy contact options for designating people to manage your profile if you pass away. Overall, memorialization brings comfort to grieving friends and family during a difficult time.