Just when you thought you've seen it all, social media can now be used by those who have passed on. Neshama, a site developed by an Israeli entrepreneur, is a social network that commemorates the deceased by pictures of their tombstones. It can also depict what is engraved on the graves, as well as other information.
Why would this exist in the first place? The idea behind it is to memorialize those who have died and leave a footprint on the Internet. Memorial pages can be set up, showing descriptions of their life, others sharing experiences with the person, and a chance to leave messages to their loved ones. Most religions believe in some sort of afterlife, but Neshama can digitalize a person's memory. All Neshama asks for is a donation to help keep the site running. This tool can be used as research for historians, as well as a different take on finding out information on family history.
This can obviously affect journalists because of the research aspect. Neshama adds an entire new dimension about the expression that "you can find anything on the Internet." Journalists of the past can also be memorialized so their work doesn't go in vain.
This is just the latest craze in a world where our legacies and impact can stay prevelant long after we're gone. DeadSocial is another site that uses Facebook and Twitter as platforms to say goodbye to those we love. There is even a program you could pay for that will post Twitter updates for you after death, basing the updates on interests, hobbies, and opinions based on the tweets sent during your life.