Facebook users now have more control of their accounts after they die thanks to the addition of "legacy contacts."
The settings feature, announced Thursday, can turn profile pages into digital gravestones by letting users pick someone to manage their accounts when they enter the afterlife, according to The Wall Street Journal. Legacy contacts will be able to make a variety of changes to their friend/family member's profile page, such as writing posts at the top of the page, change the person's profile picture and respond to friend requests.
However, contacts are restricted in what they can change, as they can't edit existing posts from the deceased and his/her friends or delete a whole account. Facebook spokeswoman Jodi Seth said the social networking giant decided to limit contacts' access "for this first version" because it was afraid that loading on more responsibilities could make the grieving process more difficult.
Despite the restrictions, legacy contacts also have the ability to download an archive of posts and photos, PCWorld reported.
Facebook previously froze accounts when it found out the owners passed away and would add the word "Remembering" next to the user's name. Ads would also be removed from the profile page.
The Menlo Park, Calif.-based company isn't the first to let users decide what happens to their accounts after they die, as that achievement goes to Google, the Journal reported. The search giant started letting users pick digital heirs, called "inactive account managers," for Gmail and other services in 2013.
The introduction of legacy contacts comes at a time when online services are providing new ways to control accounts after a death, as the U.S. government currently advises people to create their own will and some states have tried to create laws for "digital wills," PCWorld reported. Solutions from Facebook, Google and other tech giants are expected to become popular, as they could provide new ways to manage accounts.
Facebook's legacy contacts are currently only available to U.S. users, and those in other countries are expected to receive them in the future.
