GT Seminar 1: The Ethics of Social Media After Death

     After watching Adam Ostrow's TED talk, "After your final status update" and reading Cyberspace When You're Dead from the New York Times Magazine, I am able to form a valid opinion about our ongoing discussion of the ethics of social media after death. Adam Ostrow asks, "What happens to our online personality after we die? Could it...live on?" This seems to be the dramatic question that started it all. In the beginning, it probably seemed like a stupid question, but now that social media is becoming a huge part of our lives, the question becomes more and more realistic. In my opinion, it definetely could live on, but really, should it? I mean, just think about it for a minute. When you die, I believe that your social media should die with you. I even have a few reasons to support my belief.

     For one, I think that social media is your own. So, if the social media account is yours. It should be run by you and only you. Once you're gone, you're gone, and there should be no trickery as to if you are dead or alive. I completely disagree with blogs and accounts that can have memorials or tributes. While it can be argued as a "nice" idea, it's a little creepy. It's like making them seem alive even when they're dead. That's a threat to our generations to come. Imagine a population who didn't even fear death.

     Another reason, is space. Especially on counts like twitter and instagram, usernames are crucial. There are only so many possible 12 character usernames available. What happens when they are all used up? Do they just delete them all and start over? What would happen? So, once you're gone, I believe that the account should be deleted to free up space and keep these social medias going strong.

    My last reason is that though I disagree with a social media life after death, I think that when a person passes away, anybody that followed or friended that person should have the ability to download their profile. Almost like a personal memory, not one that the entire world can see. I think this, because even though I don't agree with the memorial idea, I don't think it's fair to say goodbye forever.

     When I die, I will want my social media accounts deleted.