Meta’s new patent wants to keep you posting after you die
If you died tomorrow, should your Instagram keep posting? Meta’s creepy new patent is raising BIG questions.
Okay. Deep breath.
Imagine this: you attend someone’s funeral… and a week later they like your Instagram Story.
It’s not a hacker or a glitch. It’s AI.
That’s the bizarre reality behind a newly granted patent to Meta, outlining technology that could simulate a person’s social media activity, even after they’ve died.
Yep! It sounds like an unreleased episode of Black Mirror, doesn’t it?
ALSO READ: No TikTok until 16? KZN kids react to the social media ban
What exactly did Meta patent?
According to reports, the patent describes an AI system that could:
- Study your posts
- Learn your comments
- Analyse your likes
- Replicate your chats
- Mimic your voice messages
- Even simulate video or audio interactions
By using your historical data, a large language model could essentially “become” your digital twin.
The patent states the system could simulate a user when they are “absent”; whether that means on a long break… or permanently gone.
The filing even notes that the impact would be “much more severe and permanent” if the person is deceased.
Understatement of the century.
Is this actually happening?
Now, before we all delete our accounts and move to a cabin in the Drakensberg, Meta says they have no plans to build this.
Companies file patents all the time to protect ideas that never see daylight.
Still, the fact that this idea exists on paper is enough to make people uncomfortable because it raises one massive question: Just because we can recreate someone digitally… should we?
This isn’t “new” though. In 2023, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed the possibility of AI replicas during an interview with Lex Fridman.
He suggested AI might eventually help people interact with memories of loved ones, but he emphasised something important: consent.
He said it should ultimately be your choice.
ALSO READ: Winter Olympics runs out of condoms in 3 days
Let’s be honest though. Grief is already complicated.
Now imagine getting birthday messages from someone who passed away or seeing them comment on your posts.
Even worse - imagine receiving a “Hey, how have you been?” message at 2am.
As much as this patent might just be conceptual, it shows where AI is heading: toward digital identity recreation.
It won’t just be chatbots or deepfakes. It’ll be full personality simulations with all your jokes, your tone, your typing style.
Even your “LOL” versus “haha” will all be replicated.
No lie, it’s impressive and highly innovative, but also extremely terrifying.
HOW TO LISTEN TO EAST COAST RADIO
1. Listen to East Coast Radio on the FM (frequency modulation) spectrum between 94 and 95 FM on your radio.
2. Listen live to ECR by clicking here or download the ECR App (iOS/Android).
3. Listen to East Coast Radio on the DStv audio bouquet
4. Switch to the audio bouquet on your OpenView decoder and browse to channel 606.
5. Listen to us on Amazon Alexa
Follow us on social media:
· TikTok