Let’s say you like social networking a lot. Like, a lot. You wouldn’t want anything to impede your ability to post Photo Booth pictures to your timeline or tweet out pictures of your breakfast, right? Thanks to DeadSocial, not even death will stand in your way. The new startup will allow users to connect their Google+, Twitter, and Facebook accounts to a calender where they can schedule updates that will issue from beyond the grave, because who doesn’t want their zombified social media accounts going around posting stuff on their own, right?
The concept is simple. Once DeadSocial launches, users will be able set up their calendar and then appoint an administrator. Once the user croaks, the administrator will be able to hop onto DeadSocial, tick a little box that says something like “he’s dead, Jim.” and the social networking accounts will be off and running. This isn’t exactly a new idea, but DeadSocial seems particularly interested in focusing on social networks instead of emails or something. Also, DeadSocial requires active affirmation of death, while many other services rely on some sort of (literal) dead man’s switch, and assume you’re dead if you stop checking in to say you’re alive.
While it could be neat to be able to send birthday messages, or other little notes to your loved ones after your death, it’s also a little creepy. And that’s to say nothing of the fact that, though things may change, your messages can’t. It could be a little awkward if Steve and Mary get that “Happy 20th Anniversary!” post on their Facebook walls four years after their scandalous public divorce when the wounds are just finally starting to heal.
That said, if this sounds like a good idea to you, you can go register your username right now. If I were you, though, I’d stick to simple, vague updates that can’t be misconstrued. Or humor. You know, like arranging for constant fake Foursquare updates from your coffin, or repeated tweets about brains. Unless you want to make people’s lives awkward and complicated — in a public forum, no less — after your death. If so, this could be just what you’ve been waiting for.
(via The Next Web)
Published: Apr 27, 2012 02:33 pm