Virtually immortal

Controversy has grown in pace with the increase of digital epitaphs that commemorate the deceased on social networking sites. Xu Lin reports.

He Dan says he intends to commemorate the deceased individuals whose photos he posts in online memorials on social network sites (SNS) - not create controversy or violate their privacy. The 22-year-old created an album entitled "Kids Who Go to Heaven" on Renren.com in June. The album shows photos, gives introductions, causes of death and Renren accounts of 92 people who died in their 20s. "Life is precious," He says. "If we suddenly pass away, social networking site profiles are our epitaphs." The album went viral online and has received several million clicks. Most netizens express sympathy for those who died before their time, while others say He's album is a violation of privacy. "Some netizens swear at me because of it," says He, who works in logistics in an automobile company in Hunan's provincial capital Changsha.

"But most photos are provided by the deceased people's family members and friends, who want their loved ones to be remembered this way."