Nollywood Actress Condemns Sharing of Deceased Images on Social Media
Renowned Nollywood actress Toyin Alausa has publicly criticized the prevalent practice of sharing photographs and videos of deceased individuals on social media platforms, labeling the trend as undignified and harmful.
In a statement posted to her official Instagram account on Monday, Alausa questioned the motivation behind the widespread public dissemination of such imagery. She argued that the act strips the deceased of their dignity and exacerbates the sorrow of mourning families. The actress highlighted that the pursuit of online engagement often drives the rapid posting of graphic content following fatal accidents or sudden deaths.
“The way people just expose the dead on social media these days is so annoying and mind-boggling. What’s the point, actually?” Alausa wrote.
She advocated for a basic standard of respect, urging users to at least cover the faces of deceased persons in any shared material. According to Alausa, this simple act preserves dignity and aids in the emotional healing process for relatives.
“Immediately it’s confirmed that someone has passed, the right thing to do is to cover them, at least the face. It’s about showing respect, offering dignity, and, in a way, providing emotional closure for their relatives,” she stated.
While acknowledging that documentation might occasionally be necessary for official investigations or when next-of-kin are unavailable, Alausa firmly drew a line against converting such footage into viral social media content. She described the habitual sharing as an “inhumane attitude” that has become normalized.
Alausa also expanded her concern to the broader public, noting that repeated exposure to images of the dead can be traumatic for viewers beyond the immediate family. She called for increased sensitivity and restraint from social media users, emphasizing the psychological impact of seeing “a blank face devoid of life and emotions.”
Her comments tap into a growing global conversation about digital ethics, content moderation, and the boundaries of public documentation in the age of social media. The actress’s appeal underscores a tension between the public’s appetite for immediacy and the fundamental respect owed to individuals in death and to their grieving loved ones. Her statement challenges both users and platforms to reconsider norms surrounding the sharing of sensitive, fatal content online.
