Since internet networks and technology have taken over the world, smartphones, devices, and social media accounts have become integral to our lives. The booming technological advancements, artificial intelligence, and the spread of social connectivities have made it a compulsion for every smartphone user to be present on social media platforms. Be it photo or video sharing Instagram, Facebook Meta, or professional host Linkedin, we are gravitating towards the endless valley of social media handles.
But have you ever wondered? When a user dies, what happens to their social media accounts? If not, then deceased social media accounts would be an unfamiliar term for you. The social media platforms and their algorithms capture the activity of the living user and generate millions of data daily. Still, when a user dies and their account doesn’t hold the moment for a prolonged period, the platforms start considering deceased social media accounts.
Express VPN’s research has uncovered that the number of deceased social media accounts could cross the threshold of living accounts by 2070. Here, we have highlighted the term in the most simplified manner and the factors influencing the rise of deceased social media accounts. So, let’s dive deep and learn what happens to social media platforms when a user dies.
What is the Meaning of Deceased Social Media Accounts?
Since we have had the opportunity to communicate with our loved ones and relatives over social media platforms, we have made accounts and started sharing our photos, videos, and thoughts and building a network on the platforms. However, social media platforms hold billions of accounts, and companies can’t get information about the demise when a person dies.
For instance, if your loved one dies and he has social media accounts on various platforms, then such accounts are considered deceased accounts, which means the servers are not getting the actions and reactions from that particular channel. In the following section, we have added why you should permanently delete the inactive social media accounts.
Why You Should Delete Deceased Social Media Account?
Well, there are a couple of reasons behind the action, why you should delete the social media accounts of your loved ones after their death. Sometimes, people send photos, videos, and messages over the account. Sometimes, people who have limited social media activities may need to learn about the incidents and may share the details over their accounts.
Hackers are also always looking for inactive accounts and deceased social media platforms to hack them. A deceased social media account can be a medium of privacy leakages.
What Are the Factors Influencing the Deceased Social Media Accounts?
As mentioned above, an inactive or deceased social media account is at risk of hacking and privacy violations. Your private information, pictures, and conversations may leak, and unwanted issues may arise.
However, the number of deceased social media accounts has increased. The primary factor behind this phenomenon is that people will die with age, and it can not be avoided at any cost. Many also keep accounts to remember their friends and relatives who passed away.
Bottom Lines
Without a doubt, the trend of deceased social media handles will increase in the coming times, as social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X (Twitter) manage billions of accounts, and there is no concept of immortality. However, platforms like Facebook have the option to transfer the legacy, where a person can choose a user who will manage the account.
In addition, digital legacies will be further developed more concisely when artificial intelligence steps into social media platforms, allowing for the maintenance of the legacy for a more extended period. If the deceased accounts remain on the internet, it will hamper the smooth functionality of the platforms, and data-based challenges may bring new challenges. So, it’s always on the good side to permanently delete an inactive account.