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Who Will You Appoint to Run Your Facebook Page When You Die? Facebook Introduces Legacy Contact Feature

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Fairfield chapter.

Facebook has taken their technology further than we thought possible by creating a “legacy contact” feature. On February 12th, Facebook made it possible for us to choose somebody to take over our accounts once we’ve passed away.

The appointed legacy won’t be able to read any personal messages, but here are a few things the feature offers: Create a status on the Facebook of the person who has passed, accept or decline friend requests that come after the Facebook owner’s death, or change the Facebook owner’s profile picture/cover photo. A person can also give permission for their legacy contact to upload an archive of photos, posts, and profile info that they’ve posted in the past as sort of a “Facebook memorial”.

If you decide that you want your Facebook to be deleted once you die, you can let Facebook know and they will remove it for good. Some people see this as absolutely crazy, while others think it’s the greatest invention next to sliced bread. I guess it’s all a matter of opinion.

If you’re interested in assigning a Facebook legacy contact, click this link for step-by-step instructions on how to do it!

Danielle was previously the Deputy Editor at Her Campus, where she oversaw social and content strategy, lifestyle, beauty, fashion, news, and entertainment. Prior to joining Her Campus, Danielle worked at House Beautiful as Senior Lifestyle Editor, directing and producing feature videos and stories. Danielle also served as Snapchat Editor at Cosmopolitan, overseeing the brands daily Snapchat Discover channel. In 2016, she launched Cosmo Bites — which is now the official food and beverage vertical at Cosmopolitan. That same year, Danielle was named as a Rising Star in the digital media industry by FOLIO Magazine. Danielle got her start in digital media by launching the Her Campus chapter at Fairfield University in 2014, where she acted as Campus Correspondent for 2.5 years, before graduating with a degree in English and creative writing. She enjoys wine, food, and long walks through HomeGoods. Follow Danielle on Instagram!