Unblock Logins for Memorial Accounts

[sophie]

Title:
Unblock Logins for Memorial Accounts

Area:
Accounts

Summary:
In November last year, memorial accounts were blocked from logging in in order to prevent the deletion of entries from them in case anyone were to break into the account. Unfortunately, this can be somewhat problematic as negative comments cannot be deleted. I'd like to suggest that to overcome this, logins to memorial accounts should be allowed again, with the deletion of entries blocked.

Description:
One of the most obvious problems with being unable to log into memorial accounts is not being able to take action against any objectionable comments which may have been left by others. For example, if someone were to comment to a post saying hateful things about the person in question, that comment would either have to stay up, causing distress to people who read it, or someone would need to submit a support request to get the comment deleted, which would necessarily need to be escalated to admins, and involves talking to other people - which the person viewing the comment may not want to do. This, I feel, is unfair to friends and family who may be grieving.

The above also applies to other types of unwanted comment, including spam comments. It is unlikely in this case that anyone would ask Support to delete these because more spam will probably appear later anyway, which means that the comments remain on the entry, appearing extremely disrespectful.

I suggest that instead of blocking logins, we should allow logins but prevent the deletion of existing entries, which would accomplish the original purpose of the change. It does mean that unfortunately someone may be able to break in and delete all the *comments*, which would be a bad thing, but as I said above, I feel that the ability to delete comments in this case is important. I do feel, though, that to delete all the comments would be such a painstaking job that it would probably not be done.

In the end, I suppose it comes down to: Would it be preferable for a potential attacker to not be able to change anything at all while preventing harmful comments from being deleted, or would it be preferable to allow harmful comments to be deleted while risking that someone may break in and delete *all* the comments?

Poll #5988 Unblock Logins for Memorial Accounts

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 58

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
17 (29.3%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
21 (36.2%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
5 (8.6%)

(I have no opinion)
15 (25.9%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[syderia]

Would it be possible to allow only deletion of comments made after the date when the account was turned into a memorial account?

[sophie]

Oh, I like this!

[charamei]

+1

[ariestess]

+1

[faithofone]

oh that's a good idea. *changes vote to "with changes"*

[kerravonsen]

+1

[pseudomonas]

I like this; also could one just freeze comments on all posts (existing comments visible but no further commenting allowed)?

[metron_ariston]

I don't think that would be a good idea. I know of memorial accounts that periodically get new comments from people who have only just learned of someone's passing, or at the anniversary of the person's death (or their birthday), or even when someone was thinking of the person that day and wanted to say they miss them. The family and friends of the person who passed might appreciate being able to leave notes every now and then, and also maybe get a little comfort knowing that their loved one is still remembered & missed by others.

[kyrielle]

I don't like this variant - my Dad's account on LJ is still up (and I maintain it), and has a post asking for memories of him. If someone comes by and wants to add a new memory they've just thought of, or when they've just heard of his passing, I want them to be able to.

I just want to be able to smack it down if, instead of a new memory, it's a spam message. :P

[pseudomonas]

Hmm. How about freezing the original journal, and keeping a sticky post fully under the control of the maintainer? I realise that not everything will work for everyone.

[dingsi]

Once more: +1 :D

[the_shoshanna]

Oh, you are wise.

+1

[saekhwa]

+1

[aedifica]

+1

[delladea]

+1, I voted "implement with changes" because I was thinking long the same lines.

[cheyinka]

That seems like the best solution to me!

[denise]

I don't think this is possible, actually. (At least, it's not easy, and this isn't the sort of suggestion I feel we should spend hours and hours on.)

[sophie]

It seems like it should be fairly easy to me if the date of the account having been turned into a memorial was stored in the database (other than in infohistory, I mean). Or am I missing something?

[denise]

I don't think that date is stored anywhere! (I don't think it's even in infohistory.) I mean, sure, we could do it going forward from the change, but...

I don't know, the more I think about this the itchier I get. I put my finger on why in a later comment: it's because it inherently assumes that people will be sharing their passwords, and that just makes me twitch.

[kyrielle]

But...my parents left all passwords to all accounts including their LJ in their papers for me to receive on their passing, with the EXPECTATION that I would do with the accounts as I chose. Including, as I have, leave them up but monitor them for respectful usage, in the case of their LiveJournal accounts.

Why shouldn't that be an option?

If the date is needed, surely existing ones could be grandfathered in with the date the change was made?

[kyrielle]

+1. No editing, creating, or deletion of entries; no deletion of comments made prior to the time of changeover; however, permit deletion (with or without spam marking) of comments made after the point of change. Or maybe, as someone else suggested, just screening them.

It might be nice if it was possible for the survivors to request either this status OR a completely frozen no-login version. If no one has the password anyway (because the deceased elected not to share it in their paperwork) then it would be more appropriate to freeze the login altogether.

But of the two, if it can only be one - this version rather than what we currently have. Under the current scheme, if my father's account had been here, I would decline to have it designated a memorial account ever (and take the risk of a hijacking) rather than run the commenting risk.