Yahoo e-mail account should remain private

[question everything]

There are several news stories about a Marine who died in Iraq and his family wants his letters in his Yahoo account and Yahoo says no to protect the privacy. And now some hackers are offering to help to break into the account.

I think that they are wrong. The contract with Yahoo was with the dead marine and Yahoo should protect his privacy, even after death. His account should be deleted.

Do the parents really think that they know everything they think they know about their dead son? How would they feel if they find some, I don't know, sexually explicit letters to a married woman who is a friend of the family? Or love letters to another man?

The account will close 90 days after his death. I hope that the hackers will not be successful. I know that the court will side with Yahoo.

[Nikepallas]

1. In this case I have to disagree with you. I have to side with the family

I see it no differently than when My uncle and aunt saved the letters they wrote to each other when they were away from each other and have each letter side by side now. in a sense.

[question everything]

2. Oh, they do have the letters that were sent to them

and, I suppose, they kept copies of the letters that they sent to him.

But the account may contain letters to and from other people and the son many not have wanted them to see. Or, the others would not wish the family to see their correspondence.

Your aunt and uncle have the letters that they wrote each other, not letters from others, unless one of them chose to keep them and to share with the other.

[Nikepallas]

6. But what about the letters they sent to him.

in a big photo book my aunt and uncle has like the first letter he wrote and the next letter is her response.

almost like dialog.

[question everything]

11. When you send an email to someone, don't you have a copy placed

in a "sent" folder?

This is where the family have the letters that they sent to him - if they kept them, of course.

And if they kept his emails to them, then they have the whole dialog of back and forth.

Even if they did not keep their copies, there is no assurance that their sons kept them, either.

[secedeeconomically]

4. You comparison is incorrect

He obviously sent all the email that were intended for the specific recipient and there for I’m not sure what they are hopping to find? Email that somehow magically were never sent? In my opinion is much to do about nothing. However, I’m sure the courts will side with the family, since the son most likely didn’t have a will articulating his intends upon his demise. Similar to a safety deposit box as a bank. I'm certain that whether or not the key was available, the court (after some litigation) would allow the family access.

[Nikepallas]

7. No I didn't explain myself I guess. I'm talking about their e-mail they

sent to him. As I said to someone else my aunt and uncle's letters are in a photo book that basically runs like a dialog book. His letter and then her response. 20 letters from each of them. so 40 letters total.
you read his letter then hers and if any questions are basically answered in the next letter.

It would be like if I printed out your response and not mine. someone might read it and say What did he mean "Your comparison is incorrect". Now if I print out my response "I have to side with the family...." people get the full picture.

[secedeeconomically]

8. Oh I see what you are saying

They want the whole thread of the message?

[Nikepallas]

9. Yeah, that's at least what I'm getting from what I've read. It is what I

would want. I know I look back at letters I got from my hubby when he was at college and he answered question but I can't remember what the question was. I wished he had kept my letters as well.

[BlueJazz]

3. I side with Yahoo.

The family received the letters that were routed to them.
If the person that died wanted the family to read his personal mail then he would have shared it with them before his death.

I think the family's actions are disgusting and dishonorable.

[xultar]

5. Yahoo!! is right on this. n/t

[roguevalley]

10. doesn't matter to me if I didn't know everything about my kid but

I would want the account. What a small thing to want with the death of a child. I would give it to them.

[noamnety]

12. I'm with yahoo

People have a basic right to privacy. Nobody has the right to go through what is essentially private thoughts and activities, not even if you die and they miss you.

It's not just their correspondence, it is also every bit of correspondence he had with other people who are still alive. It's like demanding access to recordings of all his phone calls or something. It's disgusting.

Any emails between him and his parents is already in their hands.

[neebob]

13. Never thought I'd say this, but

I'm with Yahoo!, too, for the same reasons as you.