Closing Social Media Accounts
Mar 22, 2023Closing Social Media Accounts
by: Caregivers Resource Group
INTRODUCTION
In the event of a Senior’s passing or incapacitation, there are a number of different things that need to be taken care of. From Power of Attorney and legal pronouncements of death to making final arrangements, as a Caregiver the responsibility often falls to you. There are many possessions and aftereffects of a life fully lived, and if your Senior was active on social media, their accounts can be a lingering memory that’s best closed and finalized. This article is a quick guide to gaining access to your loved one’s accounts in the event they aren’t around to take care of them anymore. It will help you best prepare with official documents you need to be able to manage their profiles if you don’t have the passcode. We’ve covered some of the most popular sites in this article, and we hope this will serve as a quick way to navigate the process.
To close a Facebook account, you’ll need to have the proper documentation. Facebook also provides the opportunity to memorialize an account as well, marking your loved one’s passing and locking the account from further use.
If you’d like to remove a Facebook account after a loved one has passed on, Facebook requires a proof of authority that you’re an authorized manager of their account, and an official proof of passing.
For proof of authority, Facebook accepts:
- Power of Attorney
- Birth Certificate (if person is a minor)
- Last Will and Testament
- Estate Letter
For proof of death, Facebook accepts:
- Obituaries
- Memorial Cards
When submitting the documents, be sure to cover up unnecessary and private information (e.g., a Social Security number). To submit the request, you can click here. You’ll need the full name of the account holder, the profile URL, and the email that was used to create the account if you have it.
You can also request to memorialize the account, if you’d like a tribute page set up that allows people to comment and share their condolences and memories. Select the option on the request form and Facebook will take care of the rest.
Lastly, if your Senior is incapacitated and unable to use their account anymore, there’s also an option for that as well. You’ll need proof of guardianship and an official document from a doctor or medical facility outlining their condition. If you’d like to learn more about the process of account deletion, follow this link.
Your Senior can also set a legacy contact in advance to manage the memorialized account and to make the process easier. Note that the legacy contact only applies once the account reaches memorialization status via the process described above.
Linkedin, like Facebook, also has the option to memorialize an account as well as to close one. To do either, you’ll need the following information and documentation:
- Member’s full name
- Linkedin profile link/URL
- Your relationship
- Member’s email address
- Date of their passing
- Copy of the Member’s death certificate
- Legal documents to prove you have authority to act on behalf of the Member
Accepted legal documents are the following:
- Letters of Administration issued by a court
- Letters of Testamentary issued by a court
- Letters of Representation issued by a court
- Other court order appointing the requestor as an authorized representative for the deceased member’s estate
For more information about the memorialization and account closure process, click here. To begin the process in either case, the form can be found on the website.
Instagram, like the past entries, also has an option for memorialization as well as account closure. To memorialize the account, you’ll need proof of death, like an obituary or news article. In order to file the request, you may be asked for additional information. At a minimum, you’ll need the member’s full name and username as well as proof of passing. The form for memorialization can be found here.
To remove an account, you’ll need the following:
- The deceased’s birth certificate
- The deceased’s death certificate
- Proof of authority under local law that you’re the lawful representative of the deceased person or their estate
The link for requesting account removal can also be found on Instagram’s website.
For more information on what removing and memorializing an account entails, click here.
Twitter doesn’t have an option for memorialization but does include account removal in the event of an incapacitated user. To submit a request, click this link. You’ll need the username and full name of the user to begin. Twitter will then email you further information on what you’ll need to verify the removal request, from verification documents for the deceased (such as a death certificate) or verification of their incapacitation.
In the event of incapacitation, you’ll need proof of Power of Attorney, along with both your ID’s. More information can be found here.
If you have your loved one’s Pinterest login, you can delete an account the standard way via settings under the “account management” tab. If not, you’ll have to contact Pinterest directly, either in case of incapacitation or a deceased user.
Like the other social media sites, they’ll need proof of documentation that you’re an authorized handler of the member’s affairs as well as official proof of incapacitation or their date of passing. To find out more information on deactivation or account deletion, click here. To begin the process of submitting a request for account removal, their help submission form is available on the website.
CONCLUSION
In short, all social media sites will require proof that you’re an appointed guardian of your loved one’s affairs, as well as documentation of your Senior’s status. If you have any questions about the process, all social media websites have contact options! At the links we’ve provided there’s available methods to reach out directly if you’re curious about how account closure or memorialization works, as well as FAQ’s. For more information on official documents you need to be able to access your loved one’s belongings, be sure to check out more resources from Generationally Prepared.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS ARTICLE
