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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?"

16 of 292 comments (clear)

  1. Smart move! by timothy · · Score: 5, Funny

    They're making a wise decision: status updates and contact information for dead people pretty much define "sensitive information."

    DEADGUY: "Status: Bones yellowed, but still have some structure. Rat finally got away with St. Anthony medallion. Anyone gonna to go the open bar at Styx tonight?!"

    timothy

    --
    jrnl: http://tinyurl.com/c2l8yr / foes: http://tinyurl.com/ckjno5
    1. Re:Smart move! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'd kind of like to see one from someone getting cremated:

      "Heh. Dad, I don't know how you knew about them, but I'm glad you didn't let Mom find those Henta- wait... why are you putting those in that box with the rest of your- ewww." 3 hours ago
      "Dad! Don't let mom look behind my GRR Martin books on the shelf! It won't end well!" 4 hours ago
      "Wait, what are you guys doing with those bags? Why are you going into the basement?!" 4 hours ago
      "Sweet, I'm on the mantle." 5 hours ago
      "Whew, THAT was odd. I didn't know cremation could be such an experience. Now I'm in a bottle. It better be one of those Star Trek urns like I told them" 8 hours ago
      "Whoah, OK, getting a little warm in here. I thought it was November!" 10 hours ago
      "OK, on the move finally. I wonder where they're putting me." 12 hours ago
      "Hai guyz! I'm in Ur Church, makin you cry lol! LRN2Grieve" 1 day ago
      "This is a pretty nice box I'm in. Very comfy! I wish they'd put me in my other suit, though. This one has a tag that always made my neck itch." 2 days ago
      "OK, I'm glad embalming is only done once. I'm drained!:-P" 2 days ago
      "Status: Dead. lol!" 3 days ago

    2. Re:Smart move! by buswolley · · Score: 5, Interesting

      A rarely visiting cousin came over and made a Mii avatar on my Wii box. Subsequently, he died a violent flaming death in a car accident. Irrationally perhaps, I feel like it is my solemn duty to keep 'him' alive on my Wii. Make backups of him. Transfer him to my friends' Wiis.

      --

      A Good Troll is better than a Bad Human.

    3. Re:Smart move! by clone53421 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Would it have been possible to copy them to an SD card and bury it in the backyard? That would have been an ... interesting ... way of dealing with the situation.

      --
      Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
  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 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. For Slashdotters by Megaweapon · · Score: 5, Funny

    Be sure and leave a comment on Stephen King's page. Truly an American icon.

    --
    I'm sure "SlashdotMedia" will improve on all the wonders that Dice Holdings blessed us all with
    1. Re:For Slashdotters by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

      Meme? I heard it on the radio this morning.

  4. A Good Thing by VaticDart · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is good. A friend of mine committed suicide a little over a year ago and her Facebook page is the primary place that people talk about her, both right after the event and at various marker points. It's nice to check in on her page and see if anyone has posted anything new when I'm thinking about her.

  5. Wall Posts by cnvandev · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I like the "memorialized" version of the page. How bad do you think it would be for someone to look through pictures of the recently deceased, go back to the profile and see all kinds of "Hey man, haven't seen you in a while...where've you been?" posts... I just hope there's no "Like" option for the change.

  6. Re:Status updates for a dead person? by noundi · · Score: 5, Funny

    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"

    The Reaper likes this.

    --
    I am the lawn!
  7. Re:as a nice touch.. by undertow3886 · · Score: 5, Funny

    They should do that and also stamp DECEASED in red block letters diagonally across the picture, like you see on someone's file in the movies.

    --
    Sick of people knocking on Gentoo's greatness in completely unrelated .sigs? Me too!
  8. Re:Status updates for a dead person? by zapakh · · Score: 5, Funny

    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"

    Status: Zombie. Want BRAAAAAINS

  9. Next Up: by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Myspace, in their desperate bid to stay relevant against Facebook, will introduce the "pour a 40" option, which is exactly the same; but much tackier.

  10. 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

  11. Re:Status updates for a dead person? by corbettw · · Score: 5, Funny

    Werewolves aren't undead. I'd replace them in your list with "middle management".

    --
    God invented whiskey so the Irish would not rule the world.