After Death Communication:Digital Media-based Continuing Bonds

There is a close relationship between death and the medium,and because of the preservation of memories outside of life,the media of different periods carry the imagination of the deceased.The continuing bonds proposed by Glass in the last century point to the continuation of the emotional connection with the deceased,and that people who experience trauma through the extension of connection can find comfort.As a continuation of the spirit of the dead,the medium will change as it offers new possibilities for presence,communication,and storage of memories.Based on this,the study asks the following questions: How do individuals deal with digital remains? How do individuals choose and use media to establish a continuing bonds with the deceased?How has continuing bonds changed in digital media? What factors affect the form and culture of commemorative organizations currently?The study conducted interviews with 13 witnesses of the death of relatives and friends to understand their mourning actions based on digital media,and to observe the relationship between the media environment and the emotions of mourners.The study found the following: First,there is a process of deactivation,preservation and commemoration in the processing of digital remains,and the function of media storage and “turn-off” helps individuals retain memories or alleviate sadness.The monumental significance of digital remains is eventually established through the process of commemoration,and the perception and meaning brought by a particular medium to different mourners are different;second,the digital medium acts as a talkable interface after the parting of life and death,but the hints and lack of response of communication form a contradiction in the experience of mourners.The characteristics of digital media promote the continuing bonds towards mobilized and device-forming,the continuing bonds rises connection with body,and promotes the technicalization of the process of grief adjustment and internalization;third,the phenomenon of mourning in digital media help individual continues to recognize the deceased,and may even establish a new social network through the deceased,and continuing bonds are in the possibility of constantly change and renewal.Online and offline memorial networks form a hierarchical relationship of flat and linear mixing,in which individual expressions of grief need to consider the emotions of other members and think about the visibility of information.Finally,at present,domestic and foreign platforms have begun to establish their own "memorial account" regulations,but they are facing the problem of limited scope of application and immature specifications.