4 Things You Should Never Include In An Online Obituary

For many decades, obituaries were composed with the intention of being placed in a newspaper that would have a limited run of a day. They were not written with the intention of being available for other people to see forever online. The modern obituary needs to be written by a loved one who is aware that readers may be strangers who come across it years from now. With that in mind, there are things that you should never include in an online obituary, even as a joke.

Don't Exaggerate or Write Things Based on Assumptions

It may have been more acceptable to exaggerate accomplishments a little in an obituary that would appear once in a newspaper and be seen primarily by locals or loved ones. However, with the watchful eye of online readers, don't assume you can get away with any level of dishonesty in an online obituary. Before you post an online obituary, be sure to fact-check it thoroughly.

Don't Include Your Grievances and Frustrations

When someone dies, that doesn't automatically give them a free pass on all the mistakes they made while they were alive. It's perfectly understandable that mourners are sometimes also angry at the deceased person, and they may have a bouquet of conflicting emotions. If you happen to be angry at your loved one who has passed away, it's best to keep it to yourself or deal with it in therapy or with friends. Leave it out of the obituary, or you will regret that it remains online forever, long after you have resolved your anger.

Don't Provide Home Addresses or Personal Details of Relatives

It was once common for people to include a home address at the bottom of the obituary to let people know where the visitation was being held after the funeral. These days, however, you should never include the home addresses of anyone within the online obituary. Since funeral homes are businesses, it is okay to place the address of the funeral home in an obituary, but even that is not necessary. A link to the funeral home's website will reveal the physical address and other contact details anyone would need.

Don't Link to Your Own Websites or Social Media Profiles

It can seem like a good idea to share links to your social media profiles or even a business website where you have posted other things about your deceased loved one. However, you should never use an online obituary in any way that could be understood as self-promotion. It will appear tacky to some people, and it may actually cause people to go to your page and leave rude comments. Leave out any links from the online obituary.

Finally, keep in mind that an online obituary can remain online forever. Although that may not be your intention, there are programs that surf the web for content and archive it. Even if you later remove the obituary, it may appear elsewhere on the web. Make sure that the obituary you post online is one that you are comfortable sharing in a public way that might always show up in internet search results for you or your loved one. 

For more information, contact local professionals like Near Frontier LLC.