Using Technology
The Internet and social media have revolutionized our lives in
ways we never imagined. Shopping. Banking. Dating. It is no
surprise, then, that the Internet and new technologies are also
changing the way we mourn and ritualize death. This is one of the
reasons we created Heart2Soul: to help people navigate online
funeral information and connect from all corners of the world.
Heart2Soul Community
The Heart2Soul Community is a free, online community. It is
designed to help communicate details regarding funeral services to
family members, friends, colleagues and distant contacts all across
the globe. Family members and guests who sign in to the community
can share photos and videos, and visitors can sign up for email
alerts to receive up to date service information. Messages and
condolences can be left on a customized guestbook. You can ask
visitors to sign up to deliver a meal or volunteer to help with
errands.
Click here to create a Heart2Soul Community
Heart2Soul Resources
Planning a funeral can be overwhelming. For help, visit Planning and
Arrangements. It's a complete resource covering all aspects of
a funeral. There, you'll find useful information, tips and
links.
Online Obituary Services
The Internet is fast becoming the place to post obituaries and
death notices. Some online obituaries and memorials are
automatically generated by newspapers, unbeknownst to the family.
This means someone could leave a sympathy note and you may never
see it. It's best to create your own online guest book or
community, like the Heart2Soul Community, and tell people how
and where they can leave you a message.
Email
Peggy Post, director and spokesperson for The Emily
Post® Institute, says it's OK to use technology to
communicate the news of a death with friends and family, but there
are a few things you should keep in mind when informing others.
- Whenever possible, tell people closest to the honoree in person
or on the telephone
- To avoid hurt feelings, wait until an announcement has been
made before sharing the information on a social networking site
such as Facebook
- If you create a Heart2Soul Community you can invite friends
and family to join using email so they can receive up to date
information
Social Media
Social networking sites like Facebook have become a platform for
expressing grief and sharing sympathy. These spontaneous
expressions of mourning bring people together, virtually, to share
stories, poems, photos, music, and even video.
If someone dies, what happens to his or her Facebook page? If
Facebook is notified that a user has died, they may memorialize the
user's account. This means that friends and family are allowed to
write on the person's Wall in remembrance. To close the account,
Facebook needs a formal request from the user's next of kin or
other proper legal request.*
