International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Death in the Digital Age: Memorialization and Mourning in Online Spaces – A Sociological Perspective

Globally, the advent of digital technologies has completely changed how people grieve and remember. AI-powered narrative tools, virtual memorial websites, and social media platforms have changed how people commemorate and remember the dead. With an emphasis on participation differences among various socioeconomic categories in Varanasi, India, this study investigates the sociological ramifications of online mourning. The study explores the ways in which online and offline rituals interact, change, and coexist using a hybrid model of grieving as an analytical framework. Persistent disparities in digital access are indicated by the substantial participation gap found in field data, which is 85% among high-income groups, 50% among middle-income groups, and 20% among low-income groups. The study makes use of theories of inclusive cultural adaptation, ritual and social cohesion (Durkheim), collective memory (Halbwachs), and technology design.