Much of our identity now exists online. Planning your digital legacy is just as vital as conventional estate planning, ensuring your online presence is managed respectfully and in accordance with your wishes.

Gather more details and links in the full article What Happens to Social Media When Deceased?

LinkedIn offers two options after death: memorializing the account as “in remembrance” and freezing it, or permanently closing it via an authorized representative. Once memorialized or closed, no one can log in, but existing content remains visible. LinkedIn does not remove inactive accounts, so profiles may remain indefinitely unless they are formally reported.

Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta, have similar policies. Facebook lets you appoint a Legacy Contact who can manage limited parts of your memorialized account—pin posts, update your photo, and moderate tributes. Without this, the family can request deletion. Instagram accounts can be memorialized (“Remembering”) or deleted at the request of the account owner’s close family.

Other platforms vary. X (formerly Twitter) allows immediate family members or representatives to request deactivation with proof. Google offers an Inactive Account Manager that allows users to pre-plan actions if their accounts become inactive. Smaller platforms either archive accounts or leave them dormant unless directed otherwise.

Why does this matter?

• Brand consistency: Your professional presence could remain unmanaged after your passing.
• Respect and dignity: The content you post forms an important part of your story.
• Ease for loved ones: Providing clear instructions spares family members from having to make difficult decisions.
• Estate planning: In many states, digital assets are part of your estate.

Take simple steps now. Note your wishes for LinkedIn and other accounts, assign a Facebook Legacy Contact, and include digital instructions in your will or estate plan to ensure your digital life is managed according to your wishes. By being proactive, you protect your image, honor your story, and provide clarity and comfort to those you leave behind.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

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• Thu Oct 2 – Your Words Have Power – what you say in your head is as powerful as what you say out loud
• Fri Oct 3 – Harnessing AI for Smarter Job Searches at PSG of Mercer County (in-person Princeton)
• Sat Oct 4 – Tredyffrin Community Day (in-person Chesterbrook, PA)
• Sun Oct 5 – LinkedIn Profile Reviews
• Mon Oct 6 – The Eight Elements of Leadership Transformation
• Mon Oct 6 – How to Gain Customers with a LinkedIn Company Page with SCORE Silicon Valley
• Tue Oct 7 – Stop Talking & Start Showing in Your Virtual Meetings
• Tue Oct 7 – Vision with Imagination: If your future is clear enough, why not live it in the here & now?
• Wed Oct 8 – Reclaim Your Career: Clarity, Confidence, and Your Next Opportunity
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• Thu Oct 9 – Virtual Job Seeker Support Group
• Fri Oct 10 – The Layoff Journey
• Mon Oct 13 – Career Success Group Job Seeker Accountability & Networking
• Wed Oct 15  – Recruiter on Call with Jobs
• Tue Oct 21 – Tap into Action: Beat Procrastination with EFT Tapping
• Tue Oct 21  – Business Executives Networking Group & ChemPharma Lehigh Valley
• Wed Oct 22 – The Art of Networking in-person & Online hosted by OACETT
• Wed Oct 22 – LinkedIn for Nonprofits for SCORE Jacksonville
• Thu Oct 23 – Career Success Group Job Seeker Accountability & Networking
• Thu Oct 23 – An Evening of Ideas, Laughter & Networking
• Sat Oct 25 – Jump Start Your Job Search
• Mon Oct 27 – The Magic of Top Performance
• Mon Oct 27 – Immigrant Professionals Career Success Group: Navigating the U.S. Job Market
• Tue Oct 28 – How to Write Your First Book
• Tue Oct 28 – Business Executives Networking Group & ChemPharma
• Wed Oct 29 – Ethics in the Workplace Today – What You Don’t Know You Don’t Know
• Wed Oct 29 – Job Search Techniques
• Thu Oct 30 – Corporate to Entrepreneur – Leveraging AI to Reinvent Your LinkedIn Presence