Please delete my Facebook page when I die

Am I the only one who thinks it’s weird that people who have passed still have Facebook pages?

I understand that at first it’s a way for families to accept condolences, spread information about funeral arrangements and share photos to memorialize their loved one. It’s also a way for friends of the person who died to grieve together and share stories of their late friend.

But, maybe we should change the name of the person’s page to “Remembering (insert person’s name here).”

A friend of mine recently died and her birthday happened to be a few days later. Many people posted about how much fun she must be having in heaven, etc. But there were some people who were obviously unaware of her death. One wrote,

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARBARA!! HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!! HAVE A FANTASTIC NIGHT OUT! MARGARITAS?!”

My heart sank. They had no idea she was gone. I know that your “friends” on Facebook are not necessarily your “true” friends, but I think when someone passes the family should change the name of the deceased person’s page or delete it. At the very least change the person’s profile picture or cover photo to reflect their death.

It’s also creepy to me that years can go by and the dead person’s page is still active so their picture pops up in your News Feed when someone posts to their page or on their birthday. Not cool.

It’s gotten so bad that you even see the names and photos of dead people pop up in the “People You May Know” section. Yeah, I may know them, but I don’t want to friend them because they’re DEAD!

Or I get the Facebook alert that says “Hey, it’s Barbara’s birthday, do you want to send her a gift?”

Yes, I’d love to. Do you deliver to heaven?

I did a little research to find out what the requirements are to have a person’s page memorialized, which means it remains on Facebook, but will not show up in inappropriate sections. An online form must be completed along with an attached obituary or death certificate.

To delete a person’s page altogether, you need to know the deceased person’s email address and password. Without that, Facebook requires you to show proof that you’re related and that the person has died.

This got me thinking.

Maybe people need to start preparing for their death in the cyber world the same way they do in the real world. My husband will now find all of my account passwords in my Last Will and Testament so you’re not wishing me a “Happy Birthday” on earth when I find myself in heaven.