With 'memorialized' profiles, Facebook sees dead people
With over 300 million active users around the world, it's a legitimate concern for social network Facebook to come up with a solution for what happens when members die. The company has now spelled out the process on its official blog (in a post that's a little bit awkwardly close to Halloween, considering the sensitivity of the subject matter).
Facebook's Max Kelly explains in the blog post: "Obviously, we wanted to be able to model people's relationships on Facebook, but how do you deal with an interaction with someone who is no longer able to log on? When someone leaves us, they don't leave our memories or our social network. To reflect that reality, we created the idea of 'memorialized' profiles as a place where people can save and share their memories of those who've passed."
To "memorialize" a profile, members are encouraged to use a feedback form that asks for some proof of a relationship to the person in question (knowledge of an e-mail address and birthday, for example), as well as a link to proof of death (like a news article or obituary). When a profile has been memorialized, "sensitive" information, like phone numbers, are removed, and the profile is locked up to anyone who was not already a confirmed friend (non-friends can't find the profile in search queries, either).
But for those who were confirmed friends of the deceased, they can continue to leave "wall" posts in remembrance.
Memorialized profiles are also locked to future log-ins to prevent hacking--something that highlights how Facebook will have to be very vigilant about making sure that mean-spirited members don't try to "memorialize" one another's profiles as a macabre prank.
Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos. E-mail Caroline. 
I know some people might think that just giving a loved one your details for safe-keeping would be enough but there's always the possibility that you'll both die at the same time if, say, you and your spouse are in a car accident.
Truly a morbid subject but some things have to be done because to do otherwise may make a tragic time moreso.
I think it's a great idea too. A friend of mine from a campus organization died in a car wreck last year, and friends still write on his wall. And his family members have even commented that they appreciate all the comments that have been left, so it's good for them too.
I suppose an interesting question is: should online accounts be treated like property which needs to be passed on to the appropriate heirs. An even more interesting question, if accounts are property, how does the IRS assign a value for inheritance tax purposes. Some people I assume have things like widely read blogs than must have value. Some would argue than online accounts are a service, and not property, just like your bank might really just be a service (nearly everybody would probably agree your bank account is property). If you die, who owns all the messages in your gmail account, Google or your heirs? If you were writing the next best seller book and storing it on a cloud computing service, like say Google docs, who owns the rights to that book? Many online accounts have wording in their terms of service than if you die, the account is instantly terminated and all data subject to deletion.
Sounds like there may be a whole legal specialty just to argue things being online services vs. online property.
A few weeks ago the account was hacked and used to send spam about a 'colon cleanser', this was, as you can imagine upsetting and disturbing to everyone who saw it.
I can see the possibility of abuse, practical jokes and the like, but if it can prevent things like this from hapenning then it seems a good idea.
Also, here is a good site if you need a will: http://www.doyourownwill.com/
Keep in mind if you have any pets or other living dependents, it's critical to make sure you have plans in place so their care isn't interrupted.
- by October 27, 2009 11:42 AM PDT
- You guys should check out mydeathspace.com
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