The Dead Are Not Silent, Or Death on Facebook

Abstract

Considers the principles of producing and disseminating media content with the use of new media platforms that affect the communication environment of users in social networks. The author deals with the process of self­identification as the main motivation of users’ activities in social networks. The self­identity is defined as a narrative story about the user him(her)self, a constitution of their worldview, and a determination of self. The article analyses factors that influence the structure of narrative process in the social networks. Processes of self­identification and identification are also studied in relation to the still existing Facebook accounts of people who have passed away. The article addresses moral and ethical issues arising from the existence of such accounts, attitudes of users to the accounts of deceased persons describes the ethical issues related to the psychology of perception and analyses philosophical context of attitudes towards passing away of a social networks user.