Digitally Mediated Continuing Bonds: Social Media, Grief, and Relational Continuity after Death.

Abstract

Digital communication technologies have changed how bereaved people communicate emotionally with the deceased through conversations, images, voice notes, and social profiles. Digital mourning has received extensive research attention, but there has been less focus on continuing bonds and everyday mourning experiences shaped by digitally preserved traces. This qualitative, interpretive study used semi-structured interviews with 24 bereaved participants and reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes were found: an ongoing presence in digital space, continuity of conversation with the deceased, algorithmic return of grievance, and symbolic immortality through platforms' persistence. The results reveal that digital platforms are relational spaces that continue to foster relationships with the deceased through archived interactions and algorithmically surfaced content. One main discovery is that algorithmic systems actively shape bereavement by repeatedly reminding people of their deceased loved ones. The study develops the concept of digitally mediated continuing bonds by combining continuing bonds, attachment, symbolic immortality theories, and cyberpsychology.