https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9960-620X
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ABSTRACT
Technologies of digital afterlife and posthumous communication are more developed than ever, and the possibilities for communicating with digital representations of people who perished are coming to fruition. Studies about digital engagement with death reveals contradicting trends. Whereas technologies designed for interacting with the dead have thus far failed, users reappropriate means of online communication that were not intended to facilitate communication with the dead – to facilitate precisely this practice. This article searches for a fuller understanding of the changing attitudes toward death in light of emerging intentional posthumous communication technologies (PCTs). Drawing on a national survey of Israeli Internet users, the study explores contemporary attitudes toward death and digital afterlife, and analyzes users’ perceptions of emerging PCTs. Findings indicate that whereas the general public is still reluctant to adopt such technologies, online activity and willingness to access digital remains are significant predictors for considering digital interactions with the dead.
Acknowledgements
The author wishes to thank Prof. Tamar Kricheli-Katz, Paula Kiel and Prof. Michael Birnhack, for their thoughtful insights and comments on this article.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
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Notes on contributors
Tal Morse
Dr. Tal Morse is an adjunct lecturer at Hadassah Academic College in Jerusalem and a visiting fellow at the Centre for Death & Society (CDAS) at the University of Bath (UK). His research focuses on media and death, especially death online and mediated death rituals.