Elizabeth Taylor was known to many as a legendary actress, fashion icon and champion for AIDS research. Throughout her life the public remained enamored with her celebrity status through such award-winning roles as Cleopatra and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, while off-screen she made headlines with her tumultuous personal life, which included eight marriages and a myriad of health issues. Her death yesterday was a stark reminder to us all that life is precious no matter who you are or what accolades you have won.

Taking some time to search what people were saying about Taylor online was eye opening to say the least… by that afternoon, there were literally thousands of Tweets, blog posts and Facebook messages online about her life and the phrase “RIP Elizabeth Taylor” was already a trending topic on Twitter.

Does this seem odd to anyone else?

Is social media the “new” way we as a society will choose to share our losses and mourn those who we care about? People from all walks of life were tweeting yesterday regardless of whether or not they were a fellow celebrity who knew Taylor, or an individual who simply knew of her.

Not surprisingly, fans of Taylor who posted yesterday are not alone in their choice of expression—we’ve seen a similar outcry when other celebrities or notable figures have passed and it is now becoming more commonplace. Michael Jackson’s death was one such memorable flashpoint and arguably the first major “social media death” where tributes, videos and stories about him were shared online for days literally dominating the online conversation. I would guess that many of us have even seen some in our own social networks using social media platforms to share their grief over the loss of a loved one or to pay homage to them.

Just a Generational Thing?

This growing trend is a relatively new one, but looks increasingly like it is here to stay. Is this very public expression of mourning simply a natural extension of how younger people—who live their daily lives in a similarly open and transparent way through social media—now choose to experience and personalize their own grief? Or does this trend cross generational boundaries? 

Among celebrities at least, many of all ages shared special messages on Twitter, for example:

• Alyssa Milano: Rest in peace, Elizabeth Taylor. You are a prism & will live on through all the good you did while you were with us.

• Larry King: Elizabeth Taylor was a great friend, a great star and one gutsy woman. She was so special. You won’t see the likes of her again…

• Mariah Carey: R.I.P. Elizabeth Taylor an incomparable legend who will live forever.

• Magic Johnson: Elizabeth, thank you for all your help in the battle for HIV and AIDS. You will be missed by the world.

• Steve Martin: I met Elizabeth Taylor several times. She was witty and self-deprecating, which I found surprising and delightful. She loved to laugh.

"Use With Care"

Taylor herself had her own thoughts on social media that were fortuitous to say the least. With her passing, I learned that Taylor maintained her own Twitter account—@DameElizabeth and in a recent interview with Kim Kardashian for Harper’s Bazaar noted: “I like the connection with fans and people who have been supportive of me. And I love the idea of real feedback and a two-way street, which is very, very modern. But sometimes I think we know too much about our idols and that spoils the dream. So, like all things, it is to be used with care!”

With more than 300,000 followers, I should have known that this 79 year old Hollywood legend would have found this tool to be a useful way to connect with others. A quick scan of her 131 tweets shows a mix of personal messages, inspirational words to friends and promotional messages for the causes she cared about the most.

What do you think? Are forums like Twitter and Facebook the appropriate places to share message such as the ones we’re discussing? Does it matter what generation you are part of when it comes to using social media in such a way? Do “milestone” issues such as the loss of a legendary celebrity transcend more traditional applications of social media?