Managing Social Media and Online Accounts After a Death
Social media accounts don't close automatically when someone dies, left alone, a profile can sit active indefinitely, sometimes still surfacing in birthday reminders or "people you may know" suggestions. There's no single deadline for dealing with this, do it whenever you feel ready, but it's worth knowing your options.
Don't Log In With Their Password
Even if you know the password, it's best not to log into a deceased person's accounts directly. Their personal data remains protected under UK data protection law after death, and platforms have their own proper channels for family members to request changes, which is generally the safer and more straightforward route.
Facebook offers two options: memorialising the account (the word "Remembering" appears next to their name, and the profile becomes a space for friends and family to share memories) or permanently deleting it. Both require proof of death.
If the person had already chosen a legacy contact before they died, that person can accept friend requests, pin a tribute post, and update the profile picture, though they can't read private messages or remove existing posts. A legacy contact can't be assigned after someone has died, it has to have been set up by the account holder in advance.
Similar to Facebook: you can request memorialisation or removal, both need proof of death such as a death certificate or obituary. Instagram doesn't offer a legacy contact feature, so there's no way to designate someone in advance to manage the account afterwards.
X (formerly Twitter)
X doesn't offer memorialisation at all. The only option is deactivation, which leads to permanent deletion. A family member or estate representative can request this through X's Help Centre, under Privacy, then "requests about a deceased or incapacitated user."
LinkedIn has two separate routes depending on who's asking. Anyone, not just family, can report a member as deceased, which memorialises and locks the profile so no one can log in. Full removal, rather than just memorialising, needs to come from an immediate family member or someone with legal authority over the estate.
It's worth removing a deceased person's LinkedIn profile fairly promptly if you can, an inactive professional profile sitting online is sometimes targeted for identity fraud or impersonation.
Email and Other Accounts
Email is easy to overlook, but it's often the account that everything else is tied to, password resets, subscription confirmations, banking alerts. Google's Inactive Account Manager, if the person had set it up in advance, automatically shares access or deletes the account after a period of inactivity they chose themselves. Without that in place, family members can submit a request directly to Google, though access to the account's contents is limited and handled case by case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a time limit for dealing with someone's social media?
No, there's no deadline. Many people find it easier to wait until they feel ready rather than rushing to close accounts immediately.
Can I request removal of an account I'm not directly related to?
For some platforms (LinkedIn's memorialisation, for example), anyone can report a death. Full account removal generally requires proof you're immediate family or have legal authority, such as being the executor.
What if the person didn't set up a legacy contact?
You can still request memorialisation or deletion on most platforms with proof of death, you just won't have someone able to actively manage the account on the person's behalf in the way a legacy contact could.
Should I memorialise or delete an account?
There's no right answer, it comes down to what feels right for your family. Memorialising preserves photos and posts as a place to visit and remember, while deletion offers a cleaner close. Some families choose to wait before deciding.
Related reading: Using the Tell Us Once Service After a Death · How to Be There for Someone Who Is Grieving