The Dead on Facebook

Did you know that an estimated 30 million Facebook accounts belong to dead people? Not dead people in history or phony accounts posing as some one who is dead, but legitimate people who have recently (in the last 6-7 years) passed away.

WTF, you say? I am with you! When I first read about this I thought it was some sort of promo for the TV series the Walking Dead. I envisioned zombie dead Facebook posts and zombie pictures. But no it is real and really sad.

Many people die and their passwords go with them. Even those who have lists, some one has to find the lists. Those that use programs, which remember their passwords, the password to that program, still needs to be recovered. The grieving, if it is a sudden death, have many details to contend with and Facebook is low on their priority list. Even those who know they are dying and planning their funeral often forget about social media accounts.

I have become used to reading on Facebook about the death of someone I knew. Often Facebook lends the ease to express condolences to some one not very close on the passing of their parent or sibling. A private message or a post is still a recognition that you sympathize with their loss.

What about the 30 million dead people on Facebook? What if you just came across some one you went to school with or grew up with and posted to them and never got a response? Would your feelings be hurt? Would you trash talk them to other friends because you thought they were only rude and not dead?

A friend of mine who passed away a year ago left instructions to keep her Facebook account current for 30 days after her funeral and then take it down. At her funeral, that fact was announced. If those present and friends wanted to share her passing and express condolences they could continue for 30 days. My friend knew she was dying and planned every detail of her last party including her social media presence. Most people from the staggering 30 million are not that well organized.

I told a few friends about this huge amount of Facebook dead people accounts and one friend was comforted buy it. She is not on Facebook and now feels vindicated about it. Another friend went into a remorseful fit thinking that an old college friend may be dead and that is why all her messages are unreturned.

I find the subject very interesting. Your passwords are an asset and could be valuable to your loved ones, even those for your Facebook account.