Instagram may let user accounts be memorialized

UPDATE: Jane has received a confirmation from @InstagramComms: "Yes, we’re making changes to help people identify if an Instagram account belongs to someone who has passed away. We'll have more to share on this at a later time."

This new experimental Instagram feature, dug up by reverse software engineer Jane Manchun Wong, is a bit grim. Apparently, the company wants to allow user accounts to be memorialized, in case of the worst possible scenario. Jane showed the feature in action on her account, displaying the text Remembering in gray above her name.

Judging by the lighthearted comments ("You must be dying to try this out"; "Social distancing is 6ft apart, not 6ft under"; "what button do i tap to put flowers on your e-grave?") under the original post, users take this experimental feature with a laugh. The timing is not perfect, however, as the COVID-19 disease rages throughout the US, and the death toll has already surpassed 40,000. There's no information on how the feature works and whether putting the Remembering disclaimer locks the account to prevent others from logging in or taking the same username.

 

Instagram is working on account memorialization

disclaimer: I’m not actually dead, only in the inside pic.twitter.com/DVIDLLwTAk

— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) April 20, 2020

 
Facebook rolled out a similar feature a couple of years ago. Here's the official description found on Facebook's help pages: "Memorialized accounts are a place for friends and family to gather and share memories after a person has passed away. Memorializing an account also helps keep it secure by preventing anyone from logging into it." It seems like the company is bringing the option to its Instagram service, but rollout dates remain unclear.