Why would you want to memorialize an Instagram account?
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Some users may prefer to keep their Instagram account active rather than deleting it entirely.
In the future, individuals may wish to know more about their ancestors who they never had the chance to meet. Imagine learning about a grandmother, great-uncle, or older sibling through an Instagram account that serves as a digital memorial. This provides direct access and personal insight into his/her heritage.
Thus, this memorial option offers a chance to commemorate and honor those who have left us, ensuring that their memories live on beyond physical life.
Understanding Instagram's policies for closing and memorializing accounts
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When someone passes away, Instagram doesn't give access to their account – even if it's a family member. This is because their policy ensures that the deceased user's privacy and information stay secure.
So, when an Instagram account is memorialized, it becomes locked in time and these accounts cannot be modified or updated afterward.
The deceased user's identity is secured by preventing any unauthorized login attempts and remains unchanged for viewers except for an added label that reads "Remembering" to indicate the person has passed away. This helps the profile serve as a remembrance of their life and contributions.
Moreover, personal information such as posts, photos, and videos are still visible to the audience they were shared with. However, such accounts won't appear in public spaces such as suggestions for 'People you may know' or from an 'Explore' section.
Preparatory steps for closing or memorializing an Instagram account
To memorialize an Instagram account or close it, you must be prepared. Although the requirements are easy to fulfill, the main problem is that it can be a very emotional situation and quite a challenge because of the moment of loss.
In any case, the procedures are as follows:
- Gathering required information about the deceased person:
- Collecting proof of death:
- Locating the Instagram account:
To memorialize or remove an Instagram account of a deceased person, it's necessary to collect some essential details. These include his/her full name and Instagram username. Additionally, you would need proof confirming the individual's passing.
To verify the death of an Instagram user, some form of official and public documentation may be required. Instagram typically accepts a death certificate or obituary as proof. These documents must clearly display the name and date of the deceased to be considered valid for verification purposes.
Before starting the process, ensure you've found the exact Instagram account. It is essential to note down the username and URL of the particular account as it will be needed while requesting Instagram.
Handling a memorialized account
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After memorializing an Instagram account, it remains static in the state of the user’s passing. Therefore, posts will be visible only to those originally intended by the user when they were first shared.
It will have the "Remembering" banner beneath the user's name to signify their passing. This designation serves as a respectful reminder to others and distinguishes the account as one for remembrance. The purpose of this banner is to provide friends and family with a space to celebrate the life of their loved one while maintaining a meaningful and supportive environment for all those who visit it.
How to close an Instagram account
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The person attempting verification must be an immediate family member with verified credentials. Additionally, Instagram can request verified certificates such as birth or death certificates of the person for authentication purposes.
But, remember, When it comes to a person's final wishes, it is important to adhere to their preferences whether they want their account as a memorial or removed completely. Carrying out these requests allows you to show your final act of love and respect for them.
At Lalo, we give you a more personalized alternative for memorialization!
With the Lalo app, you can memorialize all the moments of your loved ones in a much more private space, in which you can share with the people you choose all the memories, whether in photos, video, audio, text notes, etc.
Lalo is not a social network that memorializes accounts occasionally, but a space completely designed to save the memory of your loved ones without anyone else having access to it.
It is an app specifically designed to keep the memory of those people you miss, so other generations can know more about them!
FAQs
Can anyone request to memorialize an account?
While anyone can submit a request to memorialize an account, Instagram requires proof of the user's death to prevent fraudulent submissions and protect the privacy of its users.
Can a memorialized account be deleted?
Yes, a memorialized account can be deleted if a verified immediate family member requests it. They will need to provide documentation to confirm they are an immediate family member such as the deceased person's birth certificate or death certificate.
What happens to the posts and comments on a memorialized account?
When someone passes away, their Instagram account preserves their entire digital footprint including posts and comments from the deceased user as well as others.
These shared moments will continue to appear on Instagram for the same people they were originally meant for; however, no one can access or post anything under the deceased person's name. The account remains untouched by anyone forever.
Can people still DM (Direct Message) a memorialized account?
People can send messages to the memorialized account, but the messages will not be read or responded to as no one can log into a memorialized account.
How long does it take for Instagram to memorialize an account?
The processing time can vary. Instagram doesn't provide a specific timeline, but they will send a confirmation once the process is complete.
Can the "Remembering" banner be removed from a memorialized Instagram account?
No, the "Remembering" banner cannot be removed from a memorialized account. The banner is added by Instagram to indicate that the user has passed away and to distinguish the account as a memorialized one.
What happens if an Instagram account is falsely reported as deceased?
Instagram requires proof of death such as a death certificate or obituary, when a request to memorialize an account is made. This policy helps protect users' accounts from being falsely reported as deceased.
Can a memorialized Instagram account be hacked?
Instagram memorialized accounts are secured by Instagram to prevent anyone from logging into them. This makes it very difficult for these accounts to be compromised.
Can I request a copy of the data from a memorialized Instagram account?
Instagram has a strict policy to protect the privacy of deceased users. It doesn't allow anyone, even immediate family members, to access the deceased person's account or request a copy of their data.
If the deceased person's account was deactivated, can it still be memorialized?
No, only active Instagram accounts can be memorialized. If the account was deactivated or deleted before the person's passing, it can't be memorialized.
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