Has Facebook Become Curator of The World’s Memories?

As I wrote in my last post, Ross and I have been experimenting with podcasting on YouTube.  I explained there were three reasons I wanted to explore this form of creativity and expression.

In case you missed that post or have by now forgotten, I mentioned two of the reasons and promised to reveal the number one reason in another post.
To review:
Number Three: it's a challenge for us, as seniors,  to learn a new technology.  I have learned so much in the last five weeks.
Reason Number Two: for our podcast venture is it's something we are doing together.   Although we are retired and spend pretty much 24/7 in each other's company, most times we are not actually interacting.  Doing the podcast, we are definitely interacting.

Reason number one is the most important one for me.   Let me tell you why. 

I have two precious videos.  One is of my mother, the other is of my son and his son.  

When I watch each of those videos, as I often do, not only am I able to see two of the people I painfully miss so much, but I can see them alive, moving, talking, smiling, hearing them speak.  Being able to hear their voices and their laughter fills up a hole in my heart, at least for that little while.

So, I thought it might be something that my children, grandchildren or even great-grandchildren might also cherish. 
But actually, it's not only our future generations.  No not only for them.  I thought about Ross and me.   Perhaps one day there might be a time when we might not be as cognizant of our surroundings or we might get a little forgetful.  Maybe watching ourselves as we once were might jog a bit of memory and bring about a glimmer of recognition and then even a little smile.

The more I thought about it, though, I started to think about where these videos are stored.  
It's not like it was years ago.  There is no 8mm film in tin canisters or even VHS tapes.
Some of the videos, like the one of my mother and son are stored on my computer.  Most of the others have been uploaded onto YouTube or FaceBook. 

So, then, this gesture I was making of preserving our memories for our loved ones or each other, might not be accessible to them after all.  

If you are on Facebook, which I'm pretty sure most of us are, each day you log into Facebook for the first time you most likely get this message:

I don't know about you, but I usually go "ahh, or wow".  
Yes, I have come to depend on Facebook to preserve my memories and then recall them for me.

But, what about after Ross or I pass away?   
Facebook does have something called "Memorializing An Account".

Here's what I found under FB's Help:

Memorializing the account:

Memorialized accounts are a place for friends and family to gather and share memories after a person has passed away. Memorializing an account also helps keep it secure by preventing anyone from logging into it.

If Facebook is made aware that a person has passed away, it's our policy to memorialize the account. Learn more about what happens to a memorialized account.

Please keep in mind that we can't provide login information for someone else's account even under these circumstances. It's always against Facebook's policies to log into another person's account.

To report a profile to be memorialized, please contact us.

Removing the account:

Verified immediate family members may request the removal of a loved one’s account from Facebook.

What is a legacy contact?

A legacy contact is someone you choose to look after your account if it's memorialized. Once your account is memorialized, your legacy contact will have the option to do things like:

▪                Write a pinned post for your profile (ex: to share a final message on your behalf or provide information about a memorial service)

▪                Respond to new friend requests (ex: old friends or family members who weren't yet on Facebook)

▪                Update your profile picture and cover photo

You also have the option to allow your legacy contact to download a copy of what you've shared on Facebook, and we may add additional capabilities for legacy contacts in the future.

Your legacy contact can't:

▪                Log into your account

▪                Remove or change past posts, photos and other things shared on your Timeline

▪                Read messages you've sent to other friends

▪                Remove any of your friends

Learn more about memorialization and how to add a legacy contact to your account.

If you're a legacy contact, learn how to manage a memorialized profile.

Note: You must be 18 or older to select a legacy contact.

To find out more about this go to the top of your FB page, along the blue bar, pull down on the arrow next to the Lock icon and select "Help".  Search for "Memorializing". 

 Google also has a feature called "Inactive Account Manager"

After my first year of blogging, I used a website called "Blog2Print" to download all of my postings from the first year and had them bound into a book. 

The point is there are options, but I wonder how many of us think about leaving passwords to our devices or social media accounts in a secure place for our loved ones to have access to.

But at the end of the day or more appropriately for this post, at the end of my life, after I have made sure that my memories will be accessible,  I will continue to post on social media, write my blog, and record our podcast.

Oh, and in case you missed episode 5 of Sundays with Lynda and Ross, here is a little taste: