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December 22, 2004

Yahoo Denies Dead Soldier's Family Email Access

There's a story on the AP wires today that underscores just how knotty privacy issues can become. The family of Lance Cpl. Justin M. Ellsworth, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq on November 13, has been repeatedly denied the soldier's email password by Yahoo because it unmistakably violates the company's policy of making accounts non-transferable even in the case of death. For its part, the family wants the emails as a way of remembrance. Should Yahoo make an exception in this case or remain strict about its privacy policy?

Posted by Ryan Underwood at December 22, 2004 3:19 PM | Category: news + current events | 2 Comments

2 COMMENTS

Posted by: Ivy at January 4, 2005 1:06 PM: No way Yahoo! should allow the family email access. Emails contain personal, sometimes VERY confidential information about not only the individual, but his friends that is not meant for other's eyes. Good on Yahoo! for standing up and saying they believe in confidentiality!
Posted by: Joe at January 4, 2005 3:27 PM: i agree with Ivy. Yahoo is doing the right thing. If the young man wanted his family to see his email, he'd have forwarded it to them.