Death is a subject that comes with a lot of open questions: How and when will I go? How will my loved ones cope? What will happen to my Facebook page? Okay, that last one might not be high on your "To Do" list, but it is the easiest one to take care of with the "If I Die" Facebook app, which lets you record a video or text message that is posted to your wall once you've passed on.
Developed by Israeli start up, Willook, which focuses on "time capsule" services and products, the "If I Die" app allows users to ensure they get one final statement out to their online friends if they meet with an untimely end. Users simply install the app, record either a five minute video or a text post, and assign three good friends to act as "trustees." In the event of a person's passing, the three trustees must confirm the death with the app before the message is posted.
It may sound morbid and a bit creepy, but the app might be a useful service to give some people a little peace of mind - the terminally ill, for example. Willook suggests leaving behind a final farewell, a long-held secret, or even one last insult, depending on a person's preference. The developer is very clear that no one, not even anyone at the company, can see the messages that users create until their death is verified.
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website and descriptions for the service have a darkly humorous slant, which the developers say is meant to diffuse the sensitivity of the subject. For example, check out the video below to hear the app explained in a voice that sounds like it should be reading a Roald Dahl book rather than discussing your final message from beyond the grave:
