When 21-year-old Bath University student “KJ” fell into the river Avon and drowned in 2009, his Facebook page remained. As news of the death spread, rest-in-peace messages started to appear on his wall.

One of KJ’s closest friends had heard of Facebook’s “Memorialisation” feature, which allows existing friends continued access but blocks new ones and removes information such as contact details.

He wrote to Facebook with proof of death and asked for this to be done.

Friends now continue to write on the wall, even a year after the death.

Facebook’s European Director of Public Policy, Richard Allan describes this as “a new form of mourning”.

BBC News – Virtual life after death.