Comments on: Yahoo releases e-mail of deceased Marine

In case that raised privacy issues, company complies with court order and gives family access to messages.

[rhyssleary]

Where's the dilema

Though I'm not a lawyer, it doesn't seem this case does not seem to rise to anything more than a missing clause in Yahoo's Terms of Service agreement.

Now that Yahoo is aware of this flaw in their agreement, they should no ammend the ToS to include a death clause and appropriate terms to that effect.

I like AOL's solution of providing proof of death before transferring information.

Whether or not you think the e-mails are a part of one's estate is really not relevant here if Yahoo defines what actions they reserve the right to take up front.

Just my $0.02.

[rhyssleary]

While I'm at it

Can you guys forward this article to my parents in the event of my untimely death?

Thanks.

P.S.

Please make them prove my death first.

Thanks again,

Rhyss Leary

[fmb43]

Status of YAHOO Email Upon Death of User

I support YAHOO'S current position regarding the release of a user's email/account information. I believe it is presumptious to release any account information without at least a cursory legal review by an officer of the court. A user expects privacy of such material in life and deserves no less in death. Leave the TOS as is.

[rhyssleary]

Where's the dilema

Though I'm not a lawyer, it doesn't seem this case does not seem to rise to anything more than a missing clause in Yahoo's Terms of Service agreement.

Now that Yahoo is aware of this flaw in their agreement, they should no ammend the ToS to include a death clause and appropriate terms to that effect.

I like AOL's solution of providing proof of death before transferring information.

Whether or not you think the e-mails are a part of one's estate is really not relevant here if Yahoo defines what actions they reserve the right to take up front.

Just my $0.02.

[rhyssleary]

While I'm at it

Can you guys forward this article to my parents in the event of my untimely death?

Thanks.

P.S.

Please make them prove my death first.

Thanks again,

Rhyss Leary

[fmb43]

Status of YAHOO Email Upon Death of User

I support YAHOO'S current position regarding the release of a user's email/account information. I believe it is presumptious to release any account information without at least a cursory legal review by an officer of the court. A user expects privacy of such material in life and deserves no less in death. Leave the TOS as is.

[harshitsekhon]

What privacy?

The person is deceased, what privacy are we talking about here. Does the law have any provision that describes where the term privacy applies? No doubt Yahoo! needs to spell out these terms explicitly but for heaven's sake its not like the departed won't be able to rest in peace if his "private" email account was given out to family.
Also in such a case, what if email was used as a means of communication between extremist group's members, does the company, "based" in U.S. or nay other country have any responsibility towards national security. I think its time communication terms were revised by service providing companies.

[rhyssleary]

Privacy for the living

I don't know how more to explain it. Do you have any skeletons in your closet that you want the world to know?

If he was speaking with extremist groups, the government already has the right to monitor and intervene.

[harshitsekhon]

What privacy?

The person is deceased, what privacy are we talking about here. Does the law have any provision that describes where the term privacy applies? No doubt Yahoo! needs to spell out these terms explicitly but for heaven's sake its not like the departed won't be able to rest in peace if his "private" email account was given out to family.
Also in such a case, what if email was used as a means of communication between extremist group's members, does the company, "based" in U.S. or nay other country have any responsibility towards national security. I think its time communication terms were revised by service providing companies.

[rhyssleary]

Privacy for the living

I don't know how more to explain it. Do you have any skeletons in your closet that you want the world to know?

If he was speaking with extremist groups, the government already has the right to monitor and intervene.

[azjarhead]

Marine is not a soldier

Your editors need to learn that Marines are not soldiers, Semper Fi

Then what are they?

If a Marine is not a soldier, what is he? Does he not act like a soldier?

Per Dictionary.com:

" 1. A soldier serving on a ship or at a naval installation.
2. Marine A member of the U.S. Marine Corps."

[newrican]

Please look up the word in a dictionary...

before you post! A soldier is anybody that is in the military (Army, Navy, Marines, Airforce, Reserves, Guard, Coast Guard). But it's especially used for people that are in the Army.

[azjarhead]

Marine is not a soldier

Your editors need to learn that Marines are not soldiers, Semper Fi

Then what are they?

If a Marine is not a soldier, what is he? Does he not act like a soldier?

Per Dictionary.com:

" 1. A soldier serving on a ship or at a naval installation.
2. Marine A member of the U.S. Marine Corps."

[newrican]

Please look up the word in a dictionary...

before you post! A soldier is anybody that is in the military (Army, Navy, Marines, Airforce, Reserves, Guard, Coast Guard). But it's especially used for people that are in the Army.

kudos, Yahoo!

AOL apparently does not recognize that a deceased person may have left a will excluding certain relatives from access to any part of an estate.

I believe it is right to treat email accounts as being the estate of the deceased, just like any packet of letters or other papers left in a file at home. I believe Yahoo is doing the right thing to ask a court to decide legitimate access, so that the person who has the actual right to such access, whether by an explicit will or by the default of a death without a will having been written.

I think AOL is being terribly irresponsible to appoint themselves in the place of a probate process for granting access to a deceased person's correspondence.

kudos, Yahoo!

AOL apparently does not recognize that a deceased person may have left a will excluding certain relatives from access to any part of an estate.

I believe it is right to treat email accounts as being the estate of the deceased, just like any packet of letters or other papers left in a file at home. I believe Yahoo is doing the right thing to ask a court to decide legitimate access, so that the person who has the actual right to such access, whether by an explicit will or by the default of a death without a will having been written.

I think AOL is being terribly irresponsible to appoint themselves in the place of a probate process for granting access to a deceased person's correspondence.