TikTok has introduced a new legacy account feature that lets users decide what happens to their profile after they pass away. The setting, now live within the app’s account menu, gives people two paths: appoint a trusted contact to manage the account going forward, or have the profile permanently removed. The update was first spotted through screenshots shared on Threads by researchers tracking app changes, which also revealed that users can customize exactly how much control a designated legacy contact is granted over the account.
How the Deactivation Process Works
For accounts to actually be shut down, TikTok requires the request to come from an immediate family member or a legally authorized representative. This isn’t a one-click process — applicants typically need to submit documentation, such as a death certificate, along with proof of their relationship to the deceased user, before the platform will act.
Why This Matters as Platforms Age
The move reflects a broader reckoning happening across social media as the earliest generations of users grow older. Data cited from a 2019 Oxford University study suggests that Facebook alone could be hosting close to 4.9 billion profiles belonging to deceased users by the year 2100 — potentially outnumbering its active user base. With hundreds of millions of people already having died while maintaining active social accounts, questions around digital inheritance, data storage, and privacy have become increasingly urgent for platforms to address.
By giving users direct control over their account’s fate in advance, TikTok is offering a level of certainty that many platforms have historically lacked, and the update may prompt other apps to introduce similar tools as they confront the same generational shift.