Is it ethical for yahoo to give out user name and password for email?

Question

I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer for this I just want to hear people’s ideas. Recently a soldier died in Iraq, the family of that soldier sued and won against yahoo for his email password. So here’s the thing, what rights does a dead person have? Was it ethical for the judge to order this? What about the people’s privacy who wrote this person? I know what I think about it, I just want to hear what others think of this.

Answer 1

THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. I FEEL IT'S UNETHICAL BECAUSE THE E.MAIL WAS WRITTEN TO THE DECEASED INDIVIDUAL. THE WRITTEN MAIL IS ONLY FOR THE EYES OF THE DECEASED INDIVIDUAL. YAHOO SHOULD HAVE TERMINATED THE ACCOUNT AND DELETED ALL THE E.MAIL. THE PERSON THAT WROTE THE E.MAIL IS ENTITLED TO HIS/HER OWN PRIVACY.

Answer 2

I don't think it is fair but people can do whatever they want once a person is dead. If he had kept a diary, the family would have been able to read through that. Why did they sue for his email password though? What did they want to find?

Answer 3

As much as I dislike a lot of things about Yahoo, 9Hosting, mostly)
they had no choice in the matter. It was court ordered.
No ethical problem as far as Yahoo is concerned.

As to the rest, I can only say, If you wouldn't show it to your
mother, don't put it in an e-mail.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and have a nice day.

Thank you very much, while you're up!!!

Answer 4

If it was the Family or the next of Kin, then they should have to give the password. It's the property of the deceased just like anything else.

Answer 5

I think if they went to the trouble to sue to get his password they diserve it. There was probaly something in his email they needed. Although it is not hard to get a pssword if you know somebody.