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Facebook To Preserve Accounts of the Dead

Posted by samzenpus on from the last-status-update dept.

Barence writes "Social-networking site Facebook is planning to preserve the accounts of dead members. The new 'memorialized' accounts will continue to display photos and wall posts, but remove 'sensitive information' such as status updates and contact information. Friends or family who want to report the death of a Facebook member are encouraged to fill out the site's Deceased form. The form asks for proof of death, such as an obituary or news article, although it's not clear how Facebook can validate the death of a member if neither of those pieces of information is published on the internet. How long before someone snuffs it on Facebook before their time?"

8 of 292 comments (clear)

  1. Status updates for a dead person? by The+Archon+V2.0 · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Removing that isn't so much privacy as logic. What would it say?

    "Status: Dead"

    "Status: Still Dead"

    "Status: REAL Dead"

    "Status: Excitedly Dead"

    "Status: Dead Dead"

  2. How long? by pHus10n · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I give it......Thursday (tops) before someone is memorialized as a prank.

    1. Re:How long? by PachmanP · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I give it......Thursday (tops) before someone is memorialized as a prank.

      Well when I first read about it, I immediately thought about which of my friends had a sufficiently generic name that I could find an obituary for him. If I wasn't at work, it'd probably be done by now, so I'd say Thurs is pretty generous.

      --
      You're thinking small. Why miniaturize the laser, when we could instead enlarge the sharks? -John Searle
    2. Re:How long? by TheCycoONE · · Score: 5, Insightful

      My mom died, and she's on Facebook. I know my dad and other relatives want her off because it keeps suggesting to add her as a friend, which is slightly cruel. I think however the processes of producing a digital obituary notice etc. is a little insensitive - it would be best if the process was as quick and painless as possible. I also very much hope it doesn't suggest "You might know this dead person"

  3. what a spin by fulldecent · · Score: 5, Insightful

    >> Social-networking site Facebook is planning to preserve the accounts of dead members. The new 'memorialized' accounts will continue to display photos and wall posts, but remove 'sensitive information' such as status updates and contact information.

    So... basically what you are saying is Facebook's new data retention policy is "we retain your data forever, no excuses."

    --

    -- I was raised on the command line, bitch

  4. Timing by Tarlus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Facebook to preserve accounts of the dead

    Does it feel inappropriate that they announce this right before Halloween?

    --
    /* No Comment */
  5. Re:A Good Thing by Sparr0 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Here's a novel idea... It isn't up to her family. It is up to her. Facebook should make the post-mortem page an opt-in service, and then not allow anyone to interfere with the wishes of the deceased.

  6. Re:Watch the network decay! by sharonlives · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I keep thinking that the people of the future will be mad at us for taking up all the good usernames, domains, and email addresses.