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[Tommie Hu$tle]

WIXOM, Michigan (AP) -- The family of a Marine killed in Iraq is pleading with Internet giant Yahoo! for access to his e-mail account, which the company says is off-limits under its privacy policy.

Lance Cpl. Justin M. Ellsworth, 20, was killed by a roadside bomb on November 13 during a foot patrol in Al Anbar province. The family wants the complete e-mail file that Justin maintained, including notes to and from others.

"I want to be able to remember him in his words. I know he thought he was doing what he needed to do. I want to have that for the future," said John Ellsworth, Justin's father. "It's the last thing I have of my son."

But without the account's password, the request has been repeatedly denied. In addition, Yahoo! policy calls for erasing all accounts that are inactive for 90 days. Yahoo! also maintains that all users agree at sign-up that rights to a member's ID or contents within an account terminate upon death.

"While we sympathize with any grieving family, Yahoo! accounts and any contents therein are nontransferable" even after death, said Karen Mahon, a Yahoo! spokeswoman.

Seems cold on Yahoo's part but, at the same time you don't know if Justin wanted his folks to see ALL his emails or if his parents are ready to see ALL his emails. It's a sad situation all the way around. I'm sure if they talk to the right people or go to the right places they could log into the account.

 

[Folder]

Seems cold on Yahoo's part but, at the same time you don't know if Justin wanted his folks to see ALL his emails or if his parents are ready to see ALL his emails. It's a sad situation all the way around. I'm sure if they talk to the right people or go to the right places they could log into the account.

Indeed.
I die.
Everyone says how wonderful I am.
Then they get to read my email.
They realise that I slag them all off and watch a lot of pornography.
Everyone says what a cunt I am.
No one wins.
In seriousnes, this is a tragedy though. You'd think that someone at Yahoo would say, "Okay, here, just stop screaming in the press!" and do then honourable thing and bend the rules. Perhaps they are withholding it for a specific reason...? To protect the family? It's not like they won't have checked it, is it?

 

[Tamanon]

It's not the "honorable" thing. It's privacy. If the private wanted his email to be public to his family, he would've left somebody the password. I know a few of my more morbid friends who have left ways to access their email if they die.

It sounds like a bad situation, but Yahoo really can't set a precedent by doing this.

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

I put it in my will that if I die that I authorize my exector access to all my internet accounts and he has the option of displaying data that is relevent to the person. I also have instructed my brother to format my hd in the event of my death.

I don't care how good of a son you are I don't think any mom is ready for 20 gigs of porn. and your username and password for cum fiesta.

:lol

 

[Maxwell House]

If I died, I wouldn't want my family to have access to my emails. It is a privacy issue and Yahoo is doing the right thing.

 

[teiresias]

Yeah, I can definately understand Yahoo's position here. I mean where do they draw the line? Is this an exception because he was a soldier in Iraq? Hardly seems fair when someone comes along who's son was just killed by a serial murderer or something and just because he didn't die in Iraq they can't get access to his email because he isn't "exceptional" enough. I mean, I have death plans in place already (which include getting my family passwords to certain things, including GAF - not that anyone here would care that I'm dead :lol), and if you're a member of the military I'd think you should be on top of things enough to have things settled in the case of your death - at least to some degree.

 

[Folder]

I also have instructed my brother to format my hd in the event of my death.

That is some dark shit yo. *cough* Garry Glitter *cough*
;-)

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

...if you're a member of the military I'd think you should be on top of things enough to have things settled in the case of your death - at least to some degree.

It was part of the conditons of me accepting my job that we had to have a will drawn up before we left the country. I think it is the same for most military personnel but, most people don't think to put their email addresses in their will. It's a new issue of the 21st centruy.

That is some dark shit yo. *cough* Garry Glitter *cough*
;-)

Not really, my home computer is just for fun and anything of importance my family already has. I just don't want my parents looking at my porn stash.

 

[Folder]

I just don't want my parents looking at my porn stash.

Whatever you say.
Garry.

 

[DarienA]

It's not the "honorable" thing. It's privacy. If the private wanted his email to be public to his family, he would've left somebody the password.

Many folks who use computers/email wouldn't even be far enough ahead thinking to do something like that.

All my electronic equipment is set to detonate on my death so I'm covered.

 

[calder]

I'm absolutely with Yahoo on this one too. It's a shame for the family, but I know I wouldn't want ANYONE reading all my emails. There's nothing very bad in them, but why the hell would my parents want or need to read me and my friends laughing about getting stoned in grade 11 or why would my grandma need to honour my memory by seeing the (actually very good) porn forwards my brother sends me? Most ppl who use email a lot have plenty of stuff from friends and coworker and family that isn't really appropriate for others to read.

 

[shuri]

I archived like 300+ emails from my exgf in my hotmail acccount, I wonder If I really want my family to read all the family safe things that were discusseed :lol

 

[Dan]

+1 Yahoo

Really, it's a privacy issue and his family has no right to access his email account without his consent and clearly they do not have it.

Yahoo is doing the right thing. If they did anything else, I'd be outraged.

The ridiculous thing here is that the family somehow thinks they're entitled to access it. Hell, I think the very concept that they'd want to invade his personal space without consent is kinda sick.

 

[Bregor]

Another point, the e-mail account may contain private e-mails from other people who are still alive and have no desire for anyone other than the dead soldier to read them.

 

[WasabiKing]

All my electronic equipment is set to detonate on my death so I'm covered.

And all along, I thought I was the ONLY one to think of this...

 

[Cool]

I obviously never read my Yahoo! account agreement fully through and I always wondered what happend in this issue. I guess it's a better thing for family not to see your e-mail account. This is a very interesting story though.

 

[Phoenix]

And all along, I thought I was the ONLY one to think of this...

Detonate, nah. Just rig it to format if it doesn't receive something from you every 30 days

 

[Xenon]

They might find somthing like

I hate this place. I hate this war. I'm almost sorry I joined the Army. But, I just had to get away from my asshole parents. I am just glad your waiting for me back there Rick. "

 

[Gantz]

Most likely he owed them money or something.

 

[Drensch]

I'm absolutely with Yahoo on this one too. It's a shame for the family, but I know I wouldn't want ANYONE reading all my emails. There's nothing very bad in them, but why the hell would my parents want or need to read me and my friends laughing about getting stoned in grade 11 or why would my grandma need to honour my memory by seeing the (actually very good) porn forwards my brother sends me? Most ppl who use email a lot have plenty of stuff from friends and coworker and family that isn't really appropriate for others to read.

Yep. Plus you have to think that not everyone who corresponded with him wants it read by others.

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

They might find somthing like

I hate this place. I hate this war. I'm almost sorry I joined the Army. But, I just had to get away from my asshole parents. I am just glad your waiting for me back there Rick. "

Oh God that was fucking funny.