When someone dies, their trace online remains
After losing someone, finding their profile in a social network's suggestions, a photo of them on a website you do not recognise or their details in a directory can be very painful. And at a time like this, the last thing you want is to battle with forms.
We take care of it. All you need to do is tell us what you would like to happen to their online presence: kept as a memorial, closed, or the things that should not be there removed. There is no right answer, and you do not have to decide everything at once: some families prefer to keep the profile for a while and close it later.
We work remotely and in English, so we can help families living anywhere in the world, whether the person who died lived in Spain or their accounts and data appear on Spanish websites.
What the law says
Article 3 of the Spanish Data Protection Act (LOPDGDD) allows relatives, people who had a de facto relationship with the deceased and their heirs to request access to, rectification or erasure of their personal data. The exception is where the deceased expressly prohibited it or where a law prevents it.
In addition, Article 96 of the same law regulates what is known as a digital will: a person can indicate who should manage their online accounts and content and what should be done with them. If they did so, we will follow their instructions.
What we can do
- Facebook and Instagram: request that the account be memorialised, so that it remains as a memorial and stops appearing in suggestions, or request its deletion.
- Google (Gmail, YouTube, Photos): request closure of the account and, where appropriate, the release of some of the content to the family.
- Other networks and services: each platform has its own procedure and we follow it for you.
- Websites, directories and search engines: request removal of their photos, phone number, address or other data, and ask Google to stop showing them.
- Offensive or false content about the deceased: its removal can also be requested.
Documents you will need
Usually a death certificate and a document proving your relationship (for example, the Spanish family book, libro de familia, or its equivalent in your country) or your status as heir are enough. If you do not have them to hand, we explain how to obtain them.
How we do it
- We talk to you calmly to understand what you want to keep and what you do not.
- We make a list of their profiles and of what appears when their name is searched.
- We prepare and send the requests to each platform with the necessary documents.
- We keep you updated without overwhelming you, and let you know when everything is resolved.
We also let you know if we spot anything that might worry you, such as fake profiles created with their photos or scams using their name, something that sadly sometimes happens after a death.
If you would prefer to talk it through before deciding, write to us through the free analysis. No commitment and no rush.