Social Media Perceptions of Legacy-Making: A Qualitative Analysis

Background: Individuals with life-limiting illnesses experience psychotherapeutic benefits of transmitting their life's history to loved ones; however, the scope and depth of what warrants preservation and who ought to undertake such activity remains less clear. Furthermore, individuals with conditions that afflict the brain face barriers regarding the timing and structure of such interventions. We analyzed data from an online social media forum to understand perceptions of legacy-making. Methods: This is a qualitative descriptive study of Slashdot, a social media website with a focus on science, technology, and politics. In August 2010, a Slashdot user inquired about a loved one with a life-limiting illness and asked for opinions on how to preserve the individual's memories. We conducted a content analysis of the individual comments related to digital legacy-making to identify common themes. Results: Slashdot users contributed 527 replies to the initial inquiry. Users often included bereaved individuals who offered input on the need to preserve information about a loved one, the modalities in which to preserve, and what type of content to preserve. Three key themes emerged related to legacy-making: (1) capture the individual's essence and avoid the minutia, (2) live for now to avoid prolonged suffering, and (3) recognize the equal benefits to all who memorialize. Conclusions: Users in a social media forum articulated the value of capturing their loved ones' essence for posterity, which many believed would help them to avoid prolonged grief. These findings have implications for the development and timing of personalized psychosocial interventions as well as informing application development of evidence-based digital legacy systems.