Facebook profiles can now be passed down from generation to generation. According to the Associated Press, the 1.4 billion users now have the opportunity to delegate someone as their “legacy contact,” who is responsible to respond to posts on the deceased’s page, accept/decline new friend requests, and also update both profile and cover picture on their behalf.AP also reported before the legacy contact can officially take over, proof of death has to be shown; for instance, an obituary. The legacy contact is not the only option for a person’s account after they pass. Users also have the option to have the account deleted. When notified about this interesting addition to Facebook, Bethany James, a freshman majoring in biology from New Zealand, said, “I just think it is really weird, I don’t see the sense in carrying it on.”However, disagreeing with James, Hannah Naylor, a freshman majoring in international cultural studies from Iowa, said, “I don’t think it’s that weird because I have already thought about who is going to take over my Facebook while I am on my mission. I think it’s a way to honor that person; I think this can be a good thing.”As explained by AP, assigning this legacy contact can be done in a few simple steps. After clicking on the upside-down triangle on the top right corner of the page opens the settings menu, users then select “security.” Here, users in the United States have the option to select and edit their legacy contact.BYU-Hawaii students seem to have mixed opinions on the newest addition to Facebook. Luis Arredondo, a sophomore majoring in political science from Mexico, said, “I think people are so dominated by social media that it is crazy people who would take the time to be in charge of another person’s Facebook.”Not everyone believes the addition to the social network is a “dumb idea,” as Arredondo stated. According to AP, Facebook Product Manager Vanessa Callison-Burch said there has been “hundreds of thousands” of requests to do something like this.Uploaded Feb. 19, 2015.
Writer: Alyssa Troyanek
