U.K.-social network Facebook has rolled out "legacy contacts", which will allow Facebook users to appoint someone who will manage their accounts once they have died. The feature has been introduced in the U.S. a few months back.
"Legacy contacts" can be seen in the account settings and will also be set there. Once an account is memorialised, it will still be able to function like a regular Facebook account. According to Telegraph UK, the chosen contact can update the original user's profile picture and cover photo. He can even post status messages and accept friend requests on behalf of the departed.
The appointed user, however, cannot log in and use the account the way the original user has been able to. This means he cannot view and send private messages with the account as a legacy contact. Being one only allows him enough access to manage the account, like he would a Facebook page. Privacy and other account settings will also be retained from when the original user was alive.
But the legacy contact can opt and is allowed to save photos and other posts of the original user. This is a plus for loved ones of the person who would like to have a glimpse of what the user has shared when he was still living.
Facebook product manager Vanessa Callison-Burch said of the "legacy contacts", "When a person passes away, their account can become a memorial of their life, friendships and experiences."
Facebook has earlier provided basic memorialised pages for users who passed away. The pages are stagnant because the page stays as it has last been used by the original account owner and cannot be updated. While appointing contacts is seen as a good way to keep the memories alive, some have pointed out that this may cause confusion among the user's friends and loved ones.
The social networking site said it is simply fulfilling the request of many users for such a feature.
