Facebook has recently extended its legacy contact initiative to Canada. What does this mean for Canadian Facebook Users? Well, it means you can now designate a legacy contact who will have limited access to your Facebook account after you pass away.
Facebook already has ways to deal with your account after your passing, such as memorializing your page, or requesting for your page to be completely deleted. Designating a legacy contact is a similar process.
When a Facebook user's account is memorialized, their legacy contact can write a final post on the page, which will remain pinned to the top of their profile. Facebook suggests that the legacy contact place the obituary here, or information about funeral arrangements. The legacy contact will also be able to update the Facebook user's profile picture and cover photo. However, they are not able to delete anything that was previously posted by the Facebook user, read private messages, or remove existing friends. Lastly, you must be eighteen years old to be designated as a legacy contact for a Facebook user.
To add a legacy contact on your Facebook page, simply follow these steps:
- Log into your Facebook Account
- Click on the arrow on the right-hand side of the top menu
- Select Settings
- From the left-hand side menu, select Security
- Click Legacy Contact
- Type the name of the Facebook friend you wish to select in the box
- Click Add
A box will appear where you have the option to send a message to the person you have appointed as your legacy contact.
If you change your mind and want to appoint someone else, or decide not to have this option on your Facebook account, you can always remove the person you originally appointed and choose someone new, or simply leave the field blank.
Anyone with an active Facebook account – and there are a lot of us – should consider designating a legacy contact.
