Original title: Relational Practices of Digital Mourning Through the Lens of Continuing Bonds

Abstract This study explores the changes in the object, time, and space of digital mourning relative to traditional mourning, as well as the role of technology and its impact on socio-emotional connections. Through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 35 individuals who honored non-family members and friends on social media, the study found that the object of digital mourning extends to non-family members, that mourning is not strictly limited in time, and can be instantaneous or continuous; and that spatially it occurs in virtual space, breaking down physical spatial constraints. The spread of technology, the expansion of social networks, and the convenience of social media are the main drivers.

Key Words: Digital Mourning; Continuing Bonds; Relational Practices; Digital Technology

Introduction #

In the age of social media, the demise of the physical life of the deceased no longer means a complete disconnection from the living. The connection between the living and the dead extends into cyberspace, as evidenced by the increasing use of social media to send condolences. It is predicted that more than 1.4 billion social media users will pass away by 2100, prompting social media platforms to adapt to meet the needs of deceased accounts (Öhman & Watson, 2019). This shift is not just about mourning; it is also a way for individuals to express their emotions and seek solace in their digital communities. After a brief period of symbolic mourning, the living and the ‘dead’ remain connected and verbalized, as do strangers to the living.

In 1996, Klass et al. introduced the concept of ‘continuing bonds’ in their seminal work Continuing Bonds: New Understandings of Grief, elucidating how the living maintain a perpetual and intrinsic connection with the deceased. This concept describes the enduring and dynamic relationship between the living and the dead, manifesting in various specific ways. Klass contends that the resolution of grief involves sustaining an ongoing connection between the bereaved and the deceased, positing that such a connection can be a healthy aspect of the bereaved individual’ s life rather than a pathological or dysfunctional disorder, as Freud suggested. Through this connection, the living constructively reorganize their internal representation of the deceased, “internalizing” them as an extension of the self, thereby finding comfort and solace in coping with bereavement. Studies on digital mourning, particularly on memorialization websites and social media, further reveal this persistent connection between the living and the dead. These studies primarily examine how bereaved individuals alleviate their grief through Continuing Bondss. Online memorials create an alternative “space” for remembrance and social support that transcends traditional geographical constraints and the identity of the deceased. Although these digital spaces differ significantly from physical cemeteries in terms of existence and form of remembrance, they similarly underscore an ongoing connection between the deceased and the bereaved (Hutchings, 2012).In 2009, Facebook introduced the Account Protection Protocol for the Deceased, establishing ‘Memorial Pages’ that allow users to perceive the presence of the deceased through messages and updates to their daily routines, thus maintaining a connection to sustain the relationship (Williams & Merten, 2009; DeGroot, 2012). In contrast, research on digital mourning within the Chinese context has been comparatively sparse, focusing predominantly on memory construction and emotional factors (Zhou & Zhong, 2021). Acknowledging the importance of honoring and remembering the deceased through digital technology, it is equally crucial to address the transformation of spatio-temporal relations in digital mourning within the social media era, highlighting this as a pressing research issue.

Traditional mourning primarily involves blood relatives, with less emphasis on mourning non-relatives or friends. However, social media has shifted attention towards mourning individuals outside immediate family circles, while kinship-based expressions are less prevalent. While research on digitally mourning non-family members, friends, and lesser-known figures from a continuing connection perspective is limited, existing studies provide a solid theoretical foundation. This paper highlights digital mourning practices for individuals who may not be widely known beyond their social media networks, exploring the evolving dynamics among the living, the deceased, and digital media. Based on this research, the paper proposes the following research questions:

Research Question 1: How do the object, time, and space of digital mourning change compared to traditional mourning from the perspective of continuing connection?
Research Question 2: What role does technology play in driving this shift?
Research Question 3: How have relational practices evolved alongside this expansion of continuing connection boundaries?

Digital Mourning and the Spatio-Temporal Continuum #

Different societies cultivate varying conceptions of time, which subtly evolve in response to social transformations (David, 2003). Concepts such as “immediacy time” (Urry, 2003), “software time” (Bauman, 2002), and “computer time” (Googale, 2000) serve as foundational points for the study of mediated time. Media time, characterized by its disordered and point-like nature, influences the spiritual world of individuals and emphasizes the immediacy of the present. This phenomenon is rooted in a mediatized society, where communication media, exemplified by television and cell phones, set the standard. The formation of media time is based on “the compression of time by communication technology and the pervasive infiltration of daily life by communication media” (Bian & Zhang , 2006).Online mourning, facilitated through mediums such as cell phones, provides more opportunities for both the deceased and the mourners, creating a greater sense of social support among the living through participatory mourning contexts (Giaxoglou, 2015). As Grider (2007) notes, the Internet may fundamentally redefine memorialization as “an ongoing process,” which is “much less dependent on the implied eternity of an established physical environment than on the eternity of an entirely different cycle of information.”

In the traditional era, the bodies of the deceased formed the locus of empowerment; in the digital era, the digital interface continues to connect the living and the dead (Jiang, Hu, & Fang, 2022). Due to the temporal persistence of the Internet, social networking media has emerged as a novel mourning space, capable of serving as both an archive of the deceased’ s lives and a social space for the living. This medium expands the temporal, spatial, and social dimensions of public online mourning (Brubaker, Hayes & Dourish, 2013).Harold Adams Innis, in his exploration of the temporal span of media, posited that any medium is either time-biased or space-biased. A time-biased medium is “easy to keep for long periods but difficult to transport.” However, Innis did not explore the nature of media from a philosophical perspective, making it challenging to analyze the communication bias of the Internet and the relationship between media and culture within the current micro, high-speed media environment using the “communication bias theory.” Consequently, scholars in China have analyzed the material, consciousness, time, and space domains of media based on Innis’ s viewpoint, identifying the communication bias of the Internet as a “time bias under spatial limitations” (Zhao, 2021). The memorial culture of the Internet represents both a form of network culture and a mode of mourning and remembrance (Walter, 2015). The act of “online mourning” is fundamentally a type of “relational communication,” wherein the communication relationship supersedes the content of the communication (Ma & Lu , 2007). As real time progresses, the biological memory of relationships stored in the human brain faces the dilemma of forgetting, at which point social media often functions as an archive of digital memories, giving rise to a technologically mediated culture of death (Haverinen, 2014).

In the era of the social media, digital users, both in material and symbolic existence, experience greater freedom in paying tribute online. They benefit from more flexible methods and lower participation thresholds, enabling them to honor the deceased regardless of their location and time. Additionally, they can share their tributes with others (Roberts, 2006). Based on information technology as the material foundation of the network society, Manuel Castells in The Rise of the Network Society posits that the network era heralds the advent of “timeless time.” Unlike embodied and clock time, timeless time in a network society signifies the disintegration of traditional “linear, irreversible, measurable, and predictable time” amidst the tide of globalization (Castells, 2001). In cyberspace, the linearity of time no longer exists, and digital users remain perpetually online and connected (Yan, 2018).For instance, the “pop-ups” in online mourning platforms such as Beili Beili demonstrate how users from different real-time contexts converge in the “here and now,” confirming each other’ s presence with instantly sent pop-ups (Zhou,, Gao & Qin, 2017). On the viewer’s timeline, real-time and previous pop-ups accumulate, creating a (pseudo)real-time interaction effect, which is why pop-ups are often more emotionally impactful than traditional comment sections (Peng , 2020). The writing and viewing of “pop-ups” are dynamically nested and overlapping on the digital screen, promoting the interlocking symbiosis of multiple times on the same plane (Sun, 2021). This compression of time allows the same amount of time to be used for more activities, creating the illusion of compressed time-space (Dalsgaard & Nielsen, 2009). This “collage of time” pushes time compression to its limits, resulting in the annihilation of linear time and the creation of a new temporal sequence (Castells, 2001).

Digital Mourning and Changing Social Relationships #

Technological advancements have significantly transformed the social relationships between mourners, the living, and the deceased (Whitrow & Fraser, 2003). The advent of the Internet has provided mourners with a novel platform for expressing grief that may be stigmatized or unacknowledged in real-life contexts, while social media has emerged as a space for negotiating, legitimizing, and alleviating grief associated with loss (de Vries & Rutherford, 2004). The interplay between death and emerging technologies extends beyond traditional domains such as death education, grief counseling, or methodological tools in death studies. It encompasses not only the utilization of technology to confront death but also the manifestation of death within digital environments. This shift necessitates a focus on the human dimension rather than solely the technological aspect (Beaunoyer & Guitton, 2021).The proliferation of online media enables mourners to dissolve traditional boundaries of geography and kinship, evidencing a sustained connection between individuals and deceased public figures. During online mourning, users leverage these platforms to articulate their grief, thereby fostering an enduring emotional connection. However, in the tangible world, not all expressions of mourning receive public acknowledgment, social validation, or widespread dissemination (Cesare & Branstad, 2018). Scholars have conceptualized this phenomenon as “disenfranchised grief,” characterized by four specific conditions: the social non-recognition of the relationship with the deceased, the unacknowledged nature of the loss, the lack of recognition of the mourner’ s grief, and the social invisibility of the death itself (Doka, 1999).

In addition to facilitating connections between the living and the deceased, digital mourning can enhance and deepen interactions among mourners themselves (Roberts, 2004). Giaxoglou (2015) contends that online mourning fundamentally involves acts of sharing, which enable mourners to receive emotional support from others and foster a sense of intimacy within the group. Social networking platforms integrate death and grief into both private and public domains of everyday life, extending beyond the immediate family. On these platforms, images of the deceased, communications with them, and expressions of mourning become part of the routine online environment, diminishing the isolation of both the deceased and their mourners from broader society (Walter, Hourizi, Moncur, & Pitsillides, 2012). While this approach ostensibly promotes increased community interaction, it is often driven by a personal emotional need to connect with others who are also mourning the same individual. Researchers have noted that the lack of an empathetic audience can be a significant challenge, particularly for individuals isolated from others who share their grief (Brubaker, Hayes, & Mazmaniam, 2019). The social expansion enabled by social media illustrates how these platforms foster new types of relationships with individuals and content across various social contexts. Despite the postmodern individualism reflected in social media profiles, as noted by Walter, death and bereavement continue to be social experiences negotiated within extensive, technologically-mediated networks of digital peers (Brubaker, Hayes, & Dourish, 2013). Consequently, there is a growing focus on digital mourning practices, which are characterized by their emotional intensity, with emotions taking a central role in displays and interactions of varying intentionality and significance, and subject to evolving contextual norms (Giaxoglou & Doveling, 2018).

Research Design #

Methodologically, the paper employs a blend of content analysis and semi-structured interviews, comprising two main components. Firstly, leveraging the Python programming language, the study utilizes code to scrape all comments and pop-up messages from the “YISHIJI” farewell video, spanning a period of 109 days. Following meticulous data cleansing, the analysis incorporates 62,313 comments and 39,000 pop-up messages. Subsequently, employing a systematic approach, the study employs various computational communication research techniques, including data collection, word frequency analysis, computer-assisted text theme analysis, semantic network analysis, as well as sentiment and emotion analysis. Secondly, the research conducts semi-structured interviews with 25 dedicated fans who actively engaged in the comment section of the farewell video. These interviews, conducted through face-to-face meetings, video chats, and voice calls, each lasting 1 to 2 hours, provide deeper insights into the motivations, emotions, and experiences of the participants within the digital mourning process.

In terms of research paradigm, this paper primarily adopts the qualitative research method of social constructivism, emphasizing the interpretation and abstract understanding of the research phenomenon. For specific research methods, this study conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 35 individuals who memorialized non-relatives and friends on social media platforms from March to June 2024. Participants were selected using purposive sampling and snowballing techniques, covering topics such as the selection of mourning subjects, organization of mourning time and space, the impact of technology, and the expansion of Continuing Bondss.Semi-structured interviews were chosen because they facilitate interactive data generation, viewing both the interviewer and interviewee as active participants in the knowledge construction process. This approach inherently addresses ethical considerations by striving to equalize power relations between interviewer and interviewees. All interviewees met three criteria: (1) Active presence on social media platforms, (2) Engagement in digital mourning practices, and (3) Willingness to share personal experiences related to mourning and digital platforms.Interviews were conducted in China via video conferencing, face-to-face meetings, and supplemented by text-based instant messaging software. Each interview lasted between 60 and 90 minutes, resulting in a total of 430,000 words of interview transcripts.

Subsequently, this paper employed Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis model, facilitated by MAXQDA application, to analyze the interview data. This methodological choice allows for a deep exploration of the diversity and complexity of mourning practices in the digital age, offering new insights into the role of technology in contemporary mourning behaviors. Thematic analysis was preferred over traditional deductive approaches due to its flexibility, enabling themes to emerge directly from empirical data and facilitating the identification of patterns in behaviors and emotions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). The systematic processes of coding, clustering, and thematic analysis ensured rigor, allowing iterative refinement and validation of findings.

Conclusions #

Contrasts between Traditional and Digital Mourning: Objects, Time, and Space #

The primary distinction between traditional and digital mourning lies in the reliance of digital mourning on social media platforms in addition to real-world interactions. Digital mourning benefits from the instantaneous nature of social media, which eliminates strict physical constraints of time and space, allowing for immediate, continuous, and geographically unrestricted expressions of grief. In contrast, traditional mourning typically occurs within specific physical spaces and times, such as familial homes, cemeteries, or places of worship, during designated periods. Traditional practices primarily focus on close kinship and blood relations, whereas digital platforms enable mourners (the living) to express their emotions virtually at any time, extending mourning practices to include non-relatives such as friends, colleagues, public figures, and members of online communities. As articulated by our 14th interviewee on June 12, 2024:

“Digital mourning enables individuals to express grief and memorialize the deceased unrestricted by temporal or spatial limitations. Social media platforms provide an open and unrestricted space for mourners to transcend conventional boundaries of time and space, transforming the nature of mourning as social media continues to evolve, becoming increasingly diverse.” (s14, June 12, 2024)

However, despite the technological advancements that have diminished temporal and spatial barriers, it raises the question of whether there is a corresponding increase in emotional investment in the objects of digital mourning. On one hand, the technological affordances of social media facilitate the development of enduring emotional connections and memorial practices between the living and the deceased. The multimedia nature of digital mourning, encompassing text, images, and videos, enhances memory retention among users. Moreover, the public nature of these platforms allows content to be archived indefinitely, enabling mourners to revisit and reflect on memories of the deceased at any time, thereby extending the duration of their engagement with the object of mourning. This digital mode of commemoration transcends traditional limitations of specific times and places, enabling mourners to express sentiments and nostalgia for the deceased continuously and universally.Additionally, content shared in cyberspace can reach a broader audience, garnering increased attention and interaction, which in turn prolongs the public visibility of the object of mourning. This collective sharing transforms mourning from a private, personal expression into a communal experience resonating with a wider audience. Each interaction—whether a like, comment, or share—serves as a renewed remembrance of the deceased, thereby perpetuating the mourning process. In this manner, memories of the deceased are perpetually refreshed and revisited, fostering a sense of ongoing presence.On the other hand, alongside technological advancements, it is essential to consider the evolving emotional dynamics when the object of mourning shifts from close family and friends to distant non-familial figures or public personalities. As expressed by the first interviewee:

“I believe the key similarity lies in the expression of grief and remembrance for the deceased, whether an idol or a loved one. Both involve various forms of grieving expressions. However, the distinction lies in the intensity and lasting impact of grief. Mourning a loved one typically involves deeper emotional anguish and enduring pain due to the profound personal and familial bonds. This grief often persists throughout one’s lifetime. In contrast, mourning an idol differs significantly. Idols are primarily accessible through online fan communities, concerts, and events, limiting direct, face-to-face interactions. Consequently, the ability to sustain prolonged mourning and grief for idols is constrained.”( (s1, March 15, 2024)

This disparity underscores varying depths and durations of emotional attachment to different objects of mourning. Mourning loved ones entails profound and enduring grief rooted in personal relationships and regular interactions. Conversely, mourning non-relatives and friends, while heartfelt, may be relatively short-lived due to the absence of intimate personal connections. Moreover, public figures’ mourning often garners extensive media coverage and public discourse, shaping collective memories that influence individual mourning styles and emotional expressions to some extent.Media technology advances have indeed extended the mourning process and prolonged the visibility and commemoration of mourned objects. However, emotional engagement with digital mourning is shaped not only by technological affordances but also by the emotional bonds and interactions individuals have with the mourned subjects.

Technological Facilitation: Platforms, Data, and Socialization #

When examining digital mourning, it is crucial to explore the catalysts behind its evolution and the pivotal role of technology in this transformation. These factors have collectively propelled the shift from traditional mourning practices to contemporary digital methods, reshaping how individuals express and perpetuate their connections with the deceased. Foremost among these influences is the ubiquitous availability of the internet and social media, which have revolutionized grieving processes. Previously confined by temporal and spatial constraints, mourning can now be indefinitely expressed and shared globally through digital platforms. Various multimedia formats such as text, images, and videos facilitate the seamless retrieval and commemoration of the deceased’s life and significance at any moment.

Social media platforms enable instantaneous posting and widespread dissemination of mourning expressions, fostering real-time sharing and interactive engagement. Individuals can promptly convey condolences, share memories, and express emotions, thereby creating a dynamic and participatory mourning experience. This shift has expanded the scope of mourning beyond traditional kinship ties to include relationships based on shared interests and common pursuits, fostering broader community involvement in commemorative practices. Such diversified relationships find a platform for expression and interaction on social media, enhancing the inclusivity and diversity of mourning experiences.

Moreover, social media platforms have evolved to include specialized features that support mourning rituals. For instance, platforms like Facebook offer “memorial account” functionalities, which sustain the digital presence of the deceased’s personal page, allowing ongoing interaction and commemoration by family and friends. These features ensure the preservation of the deceased’s digital legacy over time. Similarly, Twitter hashtags facilitate the rapid dissemination and organization of collective mourning efforts, enabling messages of grief to traverse global boundaries swiftly. This collective engagement not only honors individual memories but also shapes broader societal values and emotional responses.In summary, technological advancements have not only extended the duration and reach of mourning but also fostered a participatory culture where communal expressions of grief transcend individual boundaries. Social media platforms serve as dynamic arenas where mourning rituals are shared, sustained, and collectively affirmed, contributing to the formation of enduring cultural memories and societal identities. People often prioritize mourning for those who are personally close to them, such as family members or friends, over distant figures like public idols. Established research highlights that mourning behaviors are influenced by social norms (Xu & Dong, 2019). In traditional offline settings, these norms dictate who is mourned and how grief is publicly expressed, reinforcing a focus on intimate relationships and personal connections.

However, on social media platforms, mourners experience a distinct environment characterized by greater freedom yet also heightened social pressures to conform to group norms regarding mourning practices and the portrayal of the deceased (Walter, 2017; Sumiala, 2021). The online realm allows for expanded possibilities in memorialization, including the mourning of public figures who may have had a significant impact on individuals’lives, albeit from a distance.For instance, the 26th respondent discusses engaging in mourning activities for idols through offline channels, such as fan clubs and cultural exchange events. These offline engagements provide opportunities for deeper personal connections with fellow fans, reinforcing shared interests and mutual support in grief processing. The respondent’s involvement in cultural exchange societies and fan clubs underscores a commitment to sustaining personal connections and cultural appreciation beyond digital interactions.

The tension arises between adhering to everyday social norms and embracing the evolving norms of online mourning practices (Jakoby & Reiser, 2013). Online platforms facilitate diverse expressions of grief, accommodating individual interpretations of appropriate mourning behavior, which can sometimes diverge from traditional norms observed in offline settings. This divergence may contribute to conflicts and emotional challenges for mourners navigating their grief in a public digital space.Moreover, the concept of “emotional rules” remains pertinent in online mourning contexts, where sincerity and authenticity in expressing grief are valued (Xu & Dong, 2019). Participants in online mourning communities often navigate between personal grief experiences and communal expectations, seeking validation and support while negotiating their individual expressions of loss. In short, while traditional mourning norms continue to shape offline grieving behaviors, online platforms introduce new dynamics where mourners can mourn distant figures alongside personal losses. The evolution of online mourning norms reflects broader societal shifts in how grief is expressed and communalized in digital spaces, presenting both challenges and opportunities for individuals to navigate their grief experiences authentically.

Boundary-expanding rationales: interaction, emotion and memory #

Building upon the discussions presented in the preceding sections, an exploration of the shifts in relational practices from traditional to digital mourning becomes imperative. The concept of Continuing Bonds expands beyond kinship-based relationships between the living and the deceased, encompassing both familial ties and non-kin, long-distance social connections. This transformation is elucidated through two relational dynamics: ‘the living and the dead’ and ‘the living and the living.’

Transformation of relational practices between the living and the dead #

Traditional mourning, as previously discussed in this paper and various scholarly studies, predominantly revolves around expressions of grief within familial and close social circles. Rituals such as funerals, eulogies, and memorials serve as pivotal moments where family members and friends honor and remember the deceased. However, with the advent of social media and digital platforms, significant changes have reshaped this dynamic. Today, individuals can memorialize the deceased by sharing thoughts, memories, and multimedia content—such as texts, images, and videos—across various online platforms. This digital expression transcends temporal and spatial constraints, enabling mourners to perpetuate the memory of the deceased over extended periods and across global audiences.

Conversely, this paper underscores a key finding: traditional and digital forms of mourning coexist within contemporary societal frameworks, each with distinct modes of expression and participant identities. Traditional offline mourning rituals typically involve intimate gatherings of close friends and family members, emphasizing personal emotional connections and face-to-face interactions. In contrast, digital mourning activities engage a broader spectrum of participants, including non-relatives, friends, and even the public at large. Through digital platforms, individuals can publicly share tributes and memories of the deceased, fostering a communal space that transcends national borders and cultural boundaries.

This parallel existence highlights that digital mourning has not supplanted traditional practices but has, to some extent, enriched the diversity of mourning expressions and participant involvement. It serves as a new avenue for the evolution and dissemination of mourning culture, providing a platform where grief can be shared, memorialized, and perpetuated in ways that traditional methods alone cannot achieve. The coexistence of these two forms underscores the societal diversity and inclusivity within the culture of mourning, reflecting the profound impact of technological advancements on human emotional expression and social interaction. In conclusion, the sentiments expressed by participants like the 16th interviewer encapsulates the enduring significance of digital mourning in preserving memories not only for individual mourners but also for broader communities of fans and admirers. This reflects a collective remembrance that transcends personal grief, symbolizing the end of an era and celebrating the enduring legacy of those mourned.

Shifting relationship practices between the living and the deceased #

Digital mourning transcends the traditional boundaries of connection between the living and the deceased, facilitating novel forms of social relationships. Traditionally, mourning has been confined to support and sharing within family and close friends. However, the rise of social media has enabled individuals to forge connections with strangers or distant acquaintances through shared interests and values. This new mode of relationship extends beyond the mourning event itself, integrating into everyday interactions and socialization. Drawing on Walter’ s framework, this paper distinguishes between traditional and contemporary mourning practices, categorizing them as “old” forms and “new” forms, with digital media serving as the delineating factor. In traditional mourning, rituals are confined to the physical realm, where mourning activities occur within local, often familial, networks. Due to spatial constraints, information about the deceased’ s passing is generally disseminated among immediate circles such as relatives and friends (Walter, 2014). Mourning rituals in these contexts are conducted at the deceased’ s grave and are generally limited to specific dates, relying on tangible connections grounded in the lived experiences of both the living and the deceased. In these settings, the connection between the living and the deceased remains largely unidirectional and is often realized through imaginative engagement with the memory of the deceased.Conversely, digital mourning dissolves traditional constraints of kinship and geography, enabling connections based on shared interests. It redefines the boundaries between public and private mourning, offering a platform for individuals who might be marginalized by conventional memorial practices. This digital space empowers users to engage in mourning that is both inclusive and expansive, reflecting a broader range of personal and communal connections.

By sharing information about mourning and participating in online commemorative activities, social networks among the living are expanded and strengthened, creating a more open and inclusive space for social interaction. For example, some respondents (s12) noted that digital mourning made it possible to communicate with more like-minded fans. Through online platforms, they can collectively express their thoughts about the deceased and ‘add their voice’ to those of their favourite band members. Such interactions not only provide emotional support, but also the fun of “building” and “spamming”, behaviours that symbolise the vibrancy and engagement of the online community.

“I think the similarity between the two is that they both serve as an emotional support for me, but the difference is that digital mourning allows me to connect with more like-minded fans, express my thoughts about them, and add to my favourite band members, I love the fun of building and spamming.” (s12, May 20, 2024)

Clearly, by contrast, traditional mourning lacks this kind of extensive social interaction. Digital mourning, on the other hand, provides a communal emotional space where respondents are able to share and communicate common feelings with other fans and experience the comfort and support that comes with collective mourning. However, once the interaction of online social platforms was lost, respondents’ mourning behaviours became more inward-looking and personal. For example, they entered an emotional space dedicated to themselves by listening to songs and watching videos to soothe their inner grief alone. This approach allowed them to feel a unique kind of sentimentality that could not be shared with others, a more private and internal experience. Through these two ways, respondents experienced different emotional attachments and avenues of expression, reflecting the diversity and complexity of mourning behaviours in the digital age.

“And after the posting was not as lively as it used to be, I soothed the sadness in my heart alone by listening to songs and watching videos, with more space for myself, with a sentimental feeling that life is only a good memory, a feeling that can only be understood by myself and cannot be shared with others.” (s5, March 8, 2024) The shift in relational practices from traditional to digital mourning has not only expanded the ways of connection and time span between the living and the deceased, but has also facilitated the formation and development of new types of social relationships between the living and the deceased. This change not only brings new possibilities for emotional expression at the individual level, but also profoundly affects the evolution of social culture and the reconfiguration of interaction.

Discussion #

This paper has aimed to elucidate profound transformations in digital mourning, not only in its forms but also in its spatial and temporal dimensions. In traditional contexts, mourning rituals were confined to physical spaces governed by cultural traditions passed down through generations, primarily involving interactions between the bereaved and the deceased. However, the advent of social media has fundamentally reshaped mourning practices, transcending physical boundaries and introducing novel modes of expression and connection. This paradigm shift has notably resulted in a reconfiguration of social relations.Social media platforms serve as virtual memorials where the departed persist in the digital realm, offering solace and support to mourners. The distinctions between the living, the deceased, and the interactions between them blur, enabling individuals to mourn, commemorate, and engage with others in virtual spaces. Through online communities and virtual support networks, individuals garner solidarity and empathy from strangers worldwide, thereby reshaping the dynamics of social relationships during the mourning process.In the age of social media, digital mourning predominantly revolves around shared interests rather than familial ties, often focusing on friends within these interest-based communities. Consequently, digital mourning extends the scope of ongoing connections, encompassing dynamics between the living and the deceased, the living among themselves, and the living and the deceased collectively.

Moreover, this study examines the dynamic evolution of mourning practices and the profound influence of digital technologies on social interactions. By delving into mourning rituals within digital media spheres, valuable insights emerge into the evolving dynamics of human connection, empathy, and commemoration in today’s digital era. As we navigate this evolving landscape, approaching mourning with sensitivity, empathy, and a profound understanding of the enduring impact on social relationships among the living, the deceased, and their wider communities remains crucial.

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