[wallcrawlr]

Something doesnt feel right about this...its difficult when its such a tragedy.

[Capagrl]

I just hope when the family does gain access they realize the 200+ messages regarding Cheating Housewives and Hot Teen Sl^ts may *not* be something the soldier willingly subscribed to (hopefully!).

[commonguymd]

I wonder if you can prevent this in your living will. I hope you can prevent this in your living will.

[Red Badger]

If Yahoo does not give them their son's e-mails, I will never use any of their services or log on to any of their web sponsors again. We must organize a boycott of Yahoo all across the net. Make them feel this family's pain! Yahoo is run by a bunch of Liberal A$$h0les anyway. This is a crime against a suffering family. Yahoo must be made to pay.....

[Quinotto]

I don't understand why would they want to get into the man's email account. If he decided, while alive, for his family NOT to know his password, why would his death make any difference? They cannot argue that they want copies of his emails, they have that in their inbox or copies of what they sent, they have that on their sent box. Something is very fishy here and I am surprised nobody in that little article brought up the issue.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Kinda torn on this one. His e-mails could lead to a good book or article on the "Mind of a Marine" or something like that.

But, I'm thinking they'll find things they probably don't want to see, and shouldn't.

Personally? I don't keep stuff in my e-mail account that I wouldn't want anyone else to see. Not being moralistic, just saving myself the embarassment. (And two decades of military training; don't leave anything behind for the enemy to use against you, you know?) ;)

[TomGuy]

People having Yahoo or similar email addys have them for a reason--primarily, privacy; secondarily, universality [being able to access easily via the web].

I have to side with Yahoo. Unless the owner of the email address has granted someone else account access, no one else should have access. It would be no different than finding the deceased had a bank account and a relative other than the 'beneficiary' tried to claim access due to blood-relationship.

Yahoo has a privacy policy. The deceased signed up to Yahoo and agreed to that policy. The parents, aunt, 2nd cousin on mother's side, nor anyone else, have an automatic right to access the man's account.

[asgardshill]

I posted yesterday that I honestly don't know whether Yahoo! is right or wrong in not providing access to the soldier's emails to his family. Today has dawned, and I still don't know. There are good points on both sides, and all I can really say is "Be careful what you ask for".

[CGASMIA68]

WHY?

[zzen01]

2 words "Court Order"

[Kerfuffle]

The frustrating part of this is that whenever any unit of government so much as hints at subpoenaing them for access, Yahoo bends over and grabs its ankles instantly.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Perhaps the family wants to write to the unanswered emails from friends and inform them that their son has died.

[1rudeboy]

I haven't finished reading this thread, but I heard about this case on talk-radio, with almost every opinion imaginable. No one speaks of the other side of the equation. What of this Marine's correspondants? Does anyone think they want this man's family reading their letters?

[fso301]

I think Yahoo is doing the right thing.

[tm22721]

Why is email being treated differently than regular mail correspondence ?

If the family gets all of his property including postal mail upon death, they should also get his email.

End of controversy.

BUMP

[mabelkitty]

Oh, this is soooo not a good idea.

[xm177e2]

There was an incident in San Francisco, an ex-marine prevented an assassination attempt. The SF Chron excitedly reported that he was homosexual. The marine had neglected to notify his family of this, and when they found out, he committed suicide. So the way I figure it, it's best to err on the side of privacy. If the marine wanted his family to read his email, he could have left them with his password.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I hope the family will have someone they know and trust look over the emails when they get into that e-mail account- before the immediate family can see them.

[Rebelbase]

Google: Yahoo password crack.

There seems to be no end to the number of people out there who claim to be able to do this.

[wimpycat]

Password cracker?