What Happens to an Artist’s Social Media After They Pass Away?

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The death of an artist raises questions about what happens to their social media accounts—spaces that played a crucial role in engaging with fans and promoting their work. These platforms can turn into digital memorials, but managing them involves technical, legal, and ethical challenges.

The management of artists’ accounts after their passing depends on the circumstances and how their team handled it beforehand. In the case of Liam Payne, who passed away in October 2024, his account remains inactive for now. Meanwhile, Mac Miller’s account, following his death in 2018, has been used by his team to announce posthumous projects.

Major social media networks have established policies to handle the accounts of deceased users:

• Facebook: According to Infobae, this platform allows profiles to be converted into memorialized accounts where friends and family can share memories. This requires proof of death, such as a death certificate.
• Instagram: Offers the option to memorialize an account, keeping the profile visible but preventing login or modifications. Followers can still interact with past posts, unless access is granted (by Instagram politics) to an approved person, usually a family member or representative.
• Twitter and TikTok: Do not have specific memorialization features, but they allow family members to request account deletion upon presenting the necessary documentation.

Managing the Digital Legacy

The administration of a deceased artist’s accounts may fall to family members, legal representatives, or individuals designated in a digital will. This document outlines how digital assets, including social media accounts and email, should be handled.

For example, In Spain, the Organic Law on Data Protection recognizes the right to digital inheritance, allowing heirs to manage or delete a deceased person’s accounts unless the individual specified otherwise.

Controversies and Ethical Considerations

Managing an artist’s social media after their passing can spark debates, especially when accounts are used to promote posthumous projects or brand partnerships. Some fans may perceive this as exploitation of the artist’s image.

Balloonerism takes the meaning of a ‘posthumous release’ to another level for me

Mac so vulnerably questions his purpose in life & what happens after death whilst evidently being at his lowest on the project…

it’s so eerie but so beautiful at the same time

rest in peace mac🎈 pic.twitter.com/38U78t4sHo

— Ewan (@alwaystalkmusic) January 17, 2025

Additionally, posts made by third parties on behalf of the artist may be questioned for their authenticity. Striking a balance between preserving an artist’s legacy and respecting their memory is crucial.

Inactive accounts can be vulnerable to unauthorized access or spam conversion. To prevent these risks, heirs should take steps to secure accounts—whether by memorializing, deleting, or actively managing them.

So, handling an artist’s social media after their death is a complex process requiring legal, technical, and ethical considerations. Planning ahead by setting clear guidelines for digital legacy management is essential to ensure that the artist’s memory is honored in a respectful and meaningful way.