Yahoo Vs. Dead Marine's family - GoFuckYourself.com

beergood · 12-21-2004, 12:47 PM

What do you think? I think Yahoo should get off the email account if they can verify.

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.

mardigras · 12-21-2004, 01:18 PM

Tragic as it is I've gotta side with Yahoo on this one. The guy knew he was in harm's way. If I were in Iraq I would have covered a lot of "what if's" with my family, including leaving an envelope of things I'd want them to have should something happen to me (bank account numbers, etc.).

What if there weren't any messages in there that gave the family comfort? What if it was only messages about something that would harm their memory of him?

SmokeyTheBear · 12-21-2004, 01:20 PM

They are contactint the wrong people..

They should send me his username and i could give them access

Peaches · 12-21-2004, 01:21 PM

Wouldn't a POA take care of this?

Peaches · 12-21-2004, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SmokeyTheBear
They are contactint the wrong people..

They should send me his username and i could give them access

beergood · 12-21-2004, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SmokeyTheBear
They are contactint the wrong people..

They should send me his username and i could give them access

indeed. Perhaps you should contact them Smokey. Offer up those skills.

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3914148

I'm sure you could track down the father.

polish_aristocrat · 12-21-2004, 01:24 PM

Sorry, Laws are Laws, they should bve respected.

mardigras · 12-21-2004, 01:25 PM

If I'm not mistaken, Yahoo does not save Sent mail by default, you have to turn that on in Options. Most people probably don't do that (or even notice the option) so it's likely only mail to him in there anyway.

Hey Smokey, you've got till Feb 13th if you want to track 'em down

azguy · 12-21-2004, 01:27 PM

Fuck Yahoo.

burntout21 · 12-21-2004, 01:27 PM

yahoo is right. People die everyday just because he is a marine he is supposed to be treated different from somebody who dies in a car crash? And i wouldnt want my parents reading all my emails if i died.

azguy · 12-21-2004, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by polish_aristocrat
Sorry, Laws are Laws, they should bve respected.

nofx · 12-21-2004, 01:28 PM

i'd side with Y!

Alex · 12-21-2004, 01:29 PM

No if Y! went lenient here it would open doors for the future and no one would use them

baddog · 12-21-2004, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SmokeyTheBear
They are contactint the wrong people..

They should send me his username and i could give them access

I am sure you could . . . you should contact them and offer your services

mardigras · 12-21-2004, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by azguy
Fuck Yahoo.

So if you died would you want your ISP to turn over to your family all of your e-mails...including all of your adult related ones?

beergood · 12-21-2004, 01:33 PM

mardigras does make a good point. What if the guy was a closet freak or something? He probably wouldn't want his family reading all of his love letters between him and Juicy.

Manowar · 12-21-2004, 01:34 PM

Gotta side with Yahoo here too. rules are rules

xclusive · 12-21-2004, 01:34 PM

I would like for the family to be able too have the stuff...No harm could come from it...

Probono · 12-21-2004, 01:36 PM

Damn I better go delete all my Yahoo mail incase I diee and my family does the same thing! Yahoo is correct in their actions it was his email.

Shaddam IV · 12-21-2004, 01:39 PM

Policy is policy.

I'm with Yahoo.

mardigras · 12-21-2004, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by beergood
mardigras does make a good point.

I always make a good point

Rantan · 12-21-2004, 02:00 PM

I was wondering how many years before something like this would come up about internet records, the familys should have access to dead peoples files where ever they're stored on the net, that is if they know they're there.

Workshop_Willy · 12-21-2004, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by burntout21
yahoo is right. People die everyday just because he is a marine he is supposed to be treated different from somebody who dies in a car crash? And i wouldnt want my parents reading all my emails if i died.

He died in the line of duty defending his country. Now the yahoo thing notwithstanding, that is COMPLETELY different from someone dying in a car crash.

You mean to tell us you don't see that?

tony286 · 12-21-2004, 02:48 PM

I agree with Yahoo its very sad but they have to protect privacy.

mardigras · 12-21-2004, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Workshop_Willy
He died in the line of duty defending his country. Now the yahoo thing notwithstanding, that is COMPLETELY different from someone dying in a car crash.

You mean to tell us you don't see that?

So, you die a hero saving a child from a burning building. That's a similar noble death... Cool to turn your accounts (including webmaster

) over to mom and dad then?

EZRhino · 12-21-2004, 03:49 PM

Thats fucked up. Yahoo should give up the emails to the family

pornJester · 12-21-2004, 03:55 PM

Even though it sucks I'll have to agree with Yahoo.

hyper · 12-21-2004, 03:55 PM

im sure a probate lawyer could argue a good case.
all possesions are conveyed to the next of kin.

that goes for bank accounts, safe deposit boxes and such

Sarah_Jayne · 12-21-2004, 04:01 PM

that is all good until they find the emails he traded with an online cyber lover or memberships to one of our sites and then they will wish they never looked

Theo · 12-21-2004, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mardigras
So if you died would you want your ISP to turn over to your family all of your e-mails...including all of your adult related ones?

yes

DarkJedi · 12-21-2004, 04:16 PM

Didn't his family think for a second that maybe there's something in there he wouldn't want them to see?

If I died and my friends and family saw my email.... Chances are no one would bother to come to my funeral.

mardigras · 12-21-2004, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sarah_webinc
that is all good until they find the emails he traded with an online cyber lover or memberships to one of our sites and then they will wish they never looked

That's exactly what I meant earlier...only blunter

Even if you're 18 years old, if there's something you want known/done/or given to someone should something happen to you, take care of it now. Nobody has a guarantee of making it until the end of the day.

69pornlinks · 12-21-2004, 04:46 PM

No - policy is policy..shit happens i mean if i die, i would want my privacy there

JDog · 12-21-2004, 04:46 PM

Yahoo shouldn't give up the information to the family! It's privacy policy. Can't just give that information away. If he wanted to have his family read it - he would've left the information for them!

I feel bad for the family - but that's Y! policy.

jDoG

Sarah_Jayne · 12-21-2004, 04:48 PM

bottom line...if you want your family to be able to access your mail and stuff after your death keep your passwords somewhere they will find them.

Seriously, one of the best things for me was that Marc had recently printed out all his passowords from roboform. You have no idea how much easier that has made for me being able to cancel memberships to things he was paying for and getting into accounts where bill emails were going to.

Easton · 12-21-2004, 04:50 PM

hell no they shouldn't... if he wanted his parents to read about his life he would have given them the password... obviously he doesn't want them to see it... duh

i'm with Yahoo! on this one

arg · 12-21-2004, 05:32 PM

I'm sympathetic for the family, but I'd back Yahoo's position, since they specifically addressed this in their terms of service. It would be nice of Yahoo to offer a checkbox option (off by default) to release account info to someone who has legal power of attorney for the account owner. (E.g. if you pass away, or are in a coma). On the other hand, they're a business, and this wouldn't be a profitable policy...verifying POA requests would take time, and if they screwed up they could be sued.

BlueQuartz · 12-21-2004, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mardigras
If I'm not mistaken, Yahoo does not save Sent mail by default, you have to turn that on in Options. Most people probably don't do that (or even notice the option) so it's likely only mail to him in there anyway.

Hey Smokey, you've got till Feb 13th if you want to track 'em down

right on!

View Poll Results: Should Yahoo give up the email account?
Yes - stop being assholes	19	52.78%
No - policy is policy.	17	47.22%
Voters: 36. You may not vote on this poll

12-21-2004, 12:47 PM	#1
beergood Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: United States Posts: 2,918	Yahoo Vs. Dead Marine's family What do you think? I think Yahoo should get off the email account if they can verify. 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. __________________ icq: 320340263

12-21-2004, 01:18 PM	#2
mardigras Bon temps! Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: down yonder Posts: 14,194	Tragic as it is I've gotta side with Yahoo on this one. The guy knew he was in harm's way. If I were in Iraq I would have covered a lot of "what if's" with my family, including leaving an envelope of things I'd want them to have should something happen to me (bank account numbers, etc.). What if there weren't any messages in there that gave the family comfort? What if it was only messages about something that would harm their memory of him? __________________ .

12-21-2004, 01:20 PM	#3
SmokeyTheBear ►SouthOfHeaven Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: PlanetEarth MyBoardRank: GerbilMaster My-Penis-Size: extralarge MyWeapon: Computer Posts: 28,609	They are contactint the wrong people.. They should send me his username and i could give them access __________________ hatisblack at yahoo.com

12-21-2004, 01:24 PM	#7
polish_aristocrat Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 40,377	Sorry, Laws are Laws, they should bve respected. __________________ I don't use ICQ anymore.

12-21-2004, 01:21 PM	#4
Peaches Old broad Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Away Posts: 13,933	Wouldn't a POA take care of this?

12-21-2004, 01:25 PM	#8
mardigras Bon temps! Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: down yonder Posts: 14,194	If I'm not mistaken, Yahoo does not save Sent mail by default, you have to turn that on in Options. Most people probably don't do that (or even notice the option) so it's likely only mail to him in there anyway. Hey Smokey, you've got till Feb 13th if you want to track 'em down __________________ .

12-21-2004, 01:27 PM	#9
azguy Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 5,167	Fuck Yahoo.

12-21-2004, 01:27 PM	#10
burntout21 Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 164	yahoo is right. People die everyday just because he is a marine he is supposed to be treated different from somebody who dies in a car crash? And i wouldnt want my parents reading all my emails if i died. __________________ SIG TOO BIG! Maximum 120x60 button and no more than 3 text lines of DEFAULT SIZE and COLOR. Unless your sig is for a GFY top banner sponsor, you may use a 624x80 instead of a 120x60. Let me repeat... A 120 x 60 button and no more that 3 lines of DEFAULT SIZE AND COLOR text.

12-21-2004, 01:28 PM	#12
nofx Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Virgin Mary's womb Posts: 16,826	i'd side with Y! __________________ Often times I wonder why There's love and hate, theres live or die. When sickness comes I must decide: When feelings go, theres suicide.

12-21-2004, 01:29 PM	#13
Alex So Fucking Banned (YEA!!) Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 10,963	No if Y! went lenient here it would open doors for the future and no one would use them __________________ Care about me? Who? Me! Who?

12-21-2004, 01:33 PM	#16
beergood Confirmed User Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: United States Posts: 2,918	mardigras does make a good point. What if the guy was a closet freak or something? He probably wouldn't want his family reading all of his love letters between him and Juicy. __________________ icq: 320340263

12-21-2004, 01:34 PM	#17
Manowar jellyfish Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 71,528	Gotta side with Yahoo here too. rules are rules

12-21-2004, 01:34 PM	#18
xclusive Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 35,218	I would like for the family to be able too have the stuff...No harm could come from it... __________________ I support MediumPimpin.com / Shemp's Outlawtgp.com /

12-21-2004, 01:36 PM	#19
Probono Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Under the Rainbow Posts: 2,731	Damn I better go delete all my Yahoo mail incase I diee and my family does the same thing! Yahoo is correct in their actions it was his email.

12-21-2004, 01:39 PM	#20
Shaddam IV So Fucking Banned Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 810	Policy is policy. I'm with Yahoo.

12-21-2004, 02:00 PM	#22
Rantan Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Portland ,OR Posts: 714	I was wondering how many years before something like this would come up about internet records, the familys should have access to dead peoples files where ever they're stored on the net, that is if they know they're there. __________________ www.jesusjohnson.com

12-21-2004, 02:48 PM	#24
tony286 lurker Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: atlanta Posts: 57,021	I agree with Yahoo its very sad but they have to protect privacy.

12-21-2004, 03:49 PM	#26
EZRhino Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: couch Posts: 6,258	Thats fucked up. Yahoo should give up the emails to the family

12-21-2004, 03:55 PM	#27
pornJester Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 6,138	Even though it sucks I'll have to agree with Yahoo. __________________ FreshBucks \| Webmaster Vault \| GayAW Trusted Names in Adult. ICQ 9157.3698

12-21-2004, 03:55 PM	#28
hyper Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mass Ass Posts: 5,294	im sure a probate lawyer could argue a good case. all possesions are conveyed to the next of kin. that goes for bank accounts, safe deposit boxes and such __________________

12-21-2004, 04:01 PM	#29
Sarah_Jayne Now with more Jayne Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 40,077	that is all good until they find the emails he traded with an online cyber lover or memberships to one of our sites and then they will wish they never looked

12-21-2004, 04:16 PM	#31
DarkJedi No Refunds Issued. Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: GFY Posts: 28,300	Didn't his family think for a second that maybe there's something in there he wouldn't want them to see? If I died and my friends and family saw my email.... Chances are no one would bother to come to my funeral.

12-21-2004, 04:46 PM	#33
69pornlinks Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Heranus Posts: 5,560	No - policy is policy..shit happens i mean if i die, i would want my privacy there __________________ It IS what it IS

12-21-2004, 04:46 PM	#34
JDog Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Canby, OR Posts: 7,453	Yahoo shouldn't give up the information to the family! It's privacy policy. Can't just give that information away. If he wanted to have his family read it - he would've left the information for them! I feel bad for the family - but that's Y! policy. jDoG __________________ NSCash now powering ReelProfits.com ALSO FEATURING: NSCash.com :: SoloDollars.com :: ReelProfits.com :: BiminiBucks.com :: VOD PROGRAMS COMING SOON: Greedy Bucks :: Vengeance Cash NOW OFFERING OVER 60 SITES CONTACT :: JAMES SMITH :: CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER :: ICQ (711385133)

12-21-2004, 04:48 PM	#35
Sarah_Jayne Now with more Jayne Industry Role: Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 40,077	bottom line...if you want your family to be able to access your mail and stuff after your death keep your passwords somewhere they will find them. Seriously, one of the best things for me was that Marc had recently printed out all his passowords from roboform. You have no idea how much easier that has made for me being able to cancel memberships to things he was paying for and getting into accounts where bill emails were going to.

12-21-2004, 04:50 PM	#36
Easton Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 9,825	hell no they shouldn't... if he wanted his parents to read about his life he would have given them the password... obviously he doesn't want them to see it... duh i'm with Yahoo! on this one __________________ New models booked and shot every week... MILFs, pornstars and teens. Girls for every niche and project. Looking for high-quality affordable exclusive content? Check me out at Easton Content for all the details.

12-21-2004, 05:32 PM	#37
arg Confirmed User Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,164	I'm sympathetic for the family, but I'd back Yahoo's position, since they specifically addressed this in their terms of service. It would be nice of Yahoo to offer a checkbox option (off by default) to release account info to someone who has legal power of attorney for the account owner. (E.g. if you pass away, or are in a coma). On the other hand, they're a business, and this wouldn't be a profitable policy...verifying POA requests would take time, and if they screwed up they could be sued.