Inheriting access to a social network account

Abstract

Background: In the digital age, social networks bring new opportunities, but also legal challenges. One of them concerns the death of a social network user. This study analyses the Lithuanian legal framework to assess whether an heir has the right to inherit, along with the deceasedʼs estate, access to the deceasedʼs social networking accounts.

Research purpose: Examine the possibility of inheriting access to a social network account under Lithuanian law.

Methods: The study was carried out predominantly using the comparative method, analysing how foreign legal systems regulate the inheritance of access to the deceasedʼs social network account. The study also applied the systematic method to the analysis of legal sources, and the analytical method to the formulation of the authorʼs positions and conclusions.

Conclusions: Access to the deceasedʼs social networking account can be inherited by univer­sal succession under Lithuanian law, as the social networking service contract is purely techni­cal and does not relate to the personality of the social network user.