Social networking sites allow us to maintain web presence long after death. On Facebook there are over 200,000 deaths that are members annually, Facebook are finding it hard to keep a tab on who has died. Which means there are users that are accidental getting friend requests from people that they know who have died. A software problem that Facebook finding hard to deal with.
Facebook, the world’s biggest social network site, knows a lot about its roughly 500 million members. Its software is quick to offer helpful nudges about things like imminent birthdays and friends you have not contacted in a while. But the company has had trouble automating the task of figuring out when one of its users has died.
That can lead to some disturbing or just plain weird moments for Facebook users as the site keeps on shuffling a dead friend through its social algorithms.
Facebook’s approach to the deaths of its users has evolved over time. Early on it would immediately erase the profile of anyone it learned had died.
Facebook now recognises the importance of finding an appropriate way to preserve those pages as a place where the mourning process can be shared online. To memorialise a profile, a family member or friend must fill out a form on the site and provide proof of the death, like a link to an obituary or news article, which a staff member at Facebook will then review.
But this option is not well publicised, so many profiles of dead members never are converted to tribute pages. Those people continue to appear on other members’ pages as friend suggestions, or in features like the “reconnect” box
http://www.facebook.com/blog.php?post=163091042130I feel it’s important Facebook deal with members that have died more appropriately, I think privacy plays a major factor in this, Facebook initial aims are to connect everyone in the world, but they need to keep a tab on people that have died, and not allow members accidently be reunited to a friend that has unfortunately died in the past.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/oct/30/untangling-web-aleks-krotoski-death
I agree that this is an issue as I have witnessed it myself. Facebook dosen't seem to know when someone has passed away, but it can be looked at in two ways. Some may not like the fact that somebody still has Facebook after death, but others use it as a way to post memories and happy moments they had with the person that others can then see, and it helps them to remember the person. Its a very important issue which people will see differently.
ReplyDeleteThis exact situation has occurred with me just recently. It was a friend for whom we all posted comments on his wall as a tribute. Therefore in my opinion it is a good way of remembering someone important to you. Also people those had not seen him for years and were childhood friends and teachers were able to leave a comment in remembrance on his wall. On the other hand I do feel that facebook should make it visible for all those who have passed away that it is a profile in tribute and so no friend suggestions or activity is occurring within these profiles. This could lead to family and friends of the person getting hurt emotionally.
ReplyDeleteA way in which I think facebook can improve this facility is by maybe facebook being contacted by the police or whoever realises the fact that a death has occurred. In this way facebook can either contact the person’s family or make it visible that it is a tribute profile and hence no hurtful or awkward comments/activities will occur relating to the person.