Facebook adding 'next of kin' for after death

Facebook is offering more options to decide what happens to a user’s account after they die.

The social network said it will now let users pick someone who can manage their account after they die. Previously, the accounts were “memorialised” after death, or locked so that no one could log in.

Beginning in the US, Facebook said users can choose a “legacy contact” to post on their page after they die, respond to new friend requests and update their profile picture and cover photo.

Users can also have their accounts deleted instead.

Facebook also ensures that the account of a user who died does not show up as a “suggested friend” or in other ways that could upset the person’s loved ones.

Those wanting someone to manage their account after they die need to click on the upside-down triangle on the top right corner of their page and find ``security settings''.

For US users there will be an option to edit their legacy contact, who must be a Facebook user. But you do not have to pick someone else to manage your account. You can also check a box to permanently delete your account when you die.

The person chosen to manage the account will not be notified of the choice until the Facebook account is memorialised. But users can choose to send them a message right away.

Accounts are memorialised at the request of loved ones, who must provide proof of the person’s death, such as an obituary.

Facebook, which has nearly 1.4 billion users, will not say how many accounts are memorialised, though Facebook product manager Vanessa Callison-Burch said there have been “hundreds of thousands” of requests from loved ones to do so.