Digital legacy and memory: from online memorials to managing digital footprints

Every person leaves a broad digital footprint today: email accounts, social media profiles, photos and videos in the cloud, active subscriptions, passwords saved in the browser, digital wallets, and in some cases crypto-assets. This footprint does not disappear by itself when a person passes away. It remains, sometimes for years, generating uncomfortable situations: birthday reminders arriving on family members' mobile phones, friendship suggestions on social networks featuring the deceased's photo, and automatic charges that continue.

For a grieving family, managing all of this without help is complicated. They usually do not know where to start, which accounts exist, or what procedures apply to each platform. A funeral home that offers guidance, even basic guidance, provides a practical service and builds a modern reputation.

The online memorial is the updated version of the traditional obituary. It does not replace it in all contexts, but complements it effectively, especially regarding digital reach.

What an online memorial contains

• Basic information about the deceased (name, dates, short biography).
• Practical service details (location, date and time of the ceremony).
• Photograph chosen by the family.
• Virtual book of condolence for messages.
• Option to upload shared photos or videos.
• Link to the ceremony streaming, if authorised.

Distribution and privacy

The family decides whether the memorial is public (accessible via search engines) or private (accessed via a shared link). The difference is significant: public memorials amplify reach but expose the deceased and their loved ones; private ones control the audience. Most families prefer the latter.

A virtual book of condolence allows people who have been unable to attend the ceremony to leave a message. When properly moderated, it becomes a valuable document of grief for the family, who can read it whenever they wish and keep it.

Moderation and preservation

It is advisable to review messages before they are published. The vast majority are respectful, but moderation prevents incidents (an inappropriate comment or a misleading post). After a few months, it is appropriate to offer the family a downloadable copy and, if they wish, to close the book.

This is where the family needs guidance the most. The main digital platforms have different procedures for managing the accounts of deceased persons.

Procedures by platform

Google offers the 'inactive account manager' and a post-death procedure. Meta (Facebook and Instagram) allows a profile to be memorialised or its removal to be requested. Apple has the legacy contact feature for iCloud. X (formerly Twitter) allows deactivation requests. Microsoft, LinkedIn and most large platforms have public procedures, but one must know where they are.

Required documentation

Death certificate, applicant's ID, and in some cases, proof of family relation. Each platform defines its own list. Response times vary, from a few days to several weeks.

Beyond social networks and email, a person can leave behind digital assets with real economic value: cryptocurrencies, web domains, platform accounts with balances, professional photos in the cloud, or content on monetised platforms.

Location and inheritance

The first challenge is usually locating these assets. Without access to the deceased's devices or their passwords, many go missing. Prior planning — leaving instructions with someone trusted — is the best solution, but this is rarely done. Once located, probate procedures apply with their technical particularities: cryptocurrencies, for example, are non-transferable without private keys.

The funeral home should not become a digital estate manager, but it can guide the family on the existence of these types of assets, recommend consulting a notary and, in complex cases, refer them to specialists.

A point often neglected: the personal data of the deceased and their family is protected. Processing by the funeral home must comply with the general European framework (GDPR) and the Spanish organic law on data protection (LOPDGDD).

Data of the deceased

Spanish regulations recognise rights over the personal data of the deceased which can be exercised by related persons or the designated executor. This includes the right to request access, rectification, erasure and, where appropriate, objection to processing. The funeral home must handle these requests with the same rigour as those of a living client.

Family data

Data of family members is standard client data. Its processing requires a clear legal basis (execution of the funeral services contract, consent for subsequent communications). Follow-up calls, anniversary reminders, and surveys require documented prior consent.

A reasonable and manageable proposal for a medium-sized funeral home wanting to offer digital guidance involves three levels.

Three levels of service

• Basic: online memorial and virtual book of condolence included in the standard service.
• Medium: guidance guide for managing the deceased's digital footprint delivered to the family.
• Advanced: personalised assistance in dealings with platforms, in collaboration with a specialised partner.

Technical investment and training

For the basic and medium levels, the investment is modest: a memorial platform (proprietary or from a specialised provider), training for the administrative team on procedures for the most common platforms, and a guidance guide template. The advanced level usually requires an external partner.

Incorporating this type of service provides the funeral home with a modern profile that costs little and is worth a lot. Younger families are particularly grateful; older ones notice it less but receive it well when offered with tact. It is part of the new standard for digital funeral service.