What to do with social media accounts after someone dies
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Dealing with your deceased loved one’s social media accounts may not seem important, but it is.
When someone dies, their inactive social media accounts can be hacked into more easily by data thieves looking to steal their identity, risking privacy breaches and misuse.
According to Savvy Senior, there are ways to cancel or change your loved one’s social media accounts after they pass away.
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You can either delete their account or change it to a “memorialized” account.
A memorialized account allows for family and friends to post memories or photos as a celebration of their life.
By adding the word “Remembering” next to the deceased person’s name, the account can be used to remember your loved one. The content the person shared will still be visible to the same audience it was originally shared with, but the profile may not appear in public spaces like people you may know, ads or birthday reminders.
In order to memorialize an account, a proof of death is required such as a death certificate, obituary or memorial card. To delete the account, you’ll need to verify that you’re an immediate family member, legal representative or executor, unless you’re the legacy contact on their account.
To memorialize or remove a loved one’s Facebook account, visit Facebook.com/help/contact/228813257197480.
Instagram’s policy is similar to Facebook’s regarding a deceased user’s account.
You have the option to either memorialize the account or remove it. You’ll also have to provide a proof of death and relationship to the deceased user.
Visit Help.Instagram.com/264154560391256 for more information.
X (formerly Twitter)
To deactivate an account on X, visit Help.Twitter.com and type in “How to contact X about a deceased family member’s account” in the search bar and follow the prompts.
After submitting a request, you should get an email with further instructions. You’ll also need to provide information about the deceased user, a copy of your ID and a copy of the death certificate.
YouTube and/or Google
Visit Support.Google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/6357590 and fill out the form. You’ll also need to upload scans of the death certificate and your ID.
To delete an account on Pinterest, send an email to Care@pinterest.com with their username, proof of death and proof of your relationship to the deceased.
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To remove or memorialize an account on LinkedIn, submit a request at LinkedIn.com/help/linkedin/ask/ts-rdmlp.
Snapchat
To delete a Snapchat account, just login to the account and press “Delete My Account” and follow instructions.
Tumblr
To remove a Tumblr account, email Support@tumblr.com and request to remove the account. Make sure to include their username, proof of death and proof of your identity to the deceased user.
If your deceased loved one had an account on a platform not listed, visit that platform’s website to learn more.
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