Deleting a Deceased Person's Social Media Accounts Must Be Requested From Platforms, Not the Data Inspectorate

Latvia's Data State Inspectorate (DVI), the authority that oversees personal data protection in the country, explained on 31 October what to do when a relative's social media accounts remain active after their death. The agency regularly receives such questions, as the accounts still contain photos, posts and other personal information.

The DVI stresses that the EU General Data Protection Regulation does not apply to the data of deceased people. Assessing the processing of a dead person's data and demanding its deletion therefore falls outside the inspectorate's remit. A request to remove a profile must be submitted directly to the platform concerned, following its own procedure.

How the main platforms handle it

Information on requesting the deletion of a deceased family member's Facebook account is available in the platform's Help section.

On Instagram, family members can ask for a deceased person's profile to be deleted. To submit the request, one must log in to one's own Instagram account. The platform also offers the option of keeping the profile in a memorial status. Links and instructions for submitting a request are in Instagram's help section.

On TikTok, a person can ask the platform's support team to consider deleting a deceased user's account, using the "Legal" section.

What the request should contain

Requests must include the link to the deceased person's profile or their username, along with a clear description of what is being asked. The platform may require documents proving the person's death and the applicant's family relationship or right to act on their behalf. The specific requirements and the way requests are reviewed are set by each platform, the DVI says.