The dead are more alive than ever. Thanks to social media and inherited ‘intellectual property rights,’ stars of the past enjoy digital immortality. Icons including Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and John Lennon remain active on blue-checkmarked social media accounts that are often controlled by for-profit corporations, which don’t require a family tie to the deceased.
Marilyn Monroe passed away more than 60 years ago but, with more than 1.7 million followers on Instagram, she’s also one of the top social media influencers today.
This is strange but dead celebrity influencers are not uncommon. They are prominently visible on social media, sporting blue checkmarks as if they never passed away.
In some cases, these accounts are controlled by direct family members who work hard to keep the spirit of their loved ones alive. However, others are controlled by corporations that have nothing to do with the person they represent.