# Suggestion: Additional Member Status of 'Deceased' **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 18, 2011, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647 "2011-12-18T17:34:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/41 "2011-12-19T05:06:56Z")
How about \*\*Ex-parrot \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/42 "2011-12-19T06:55:12Z")
Great idea. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/43 "2011-12-19T07:11:35Z")
> [@Cicero (custom title: deceased)](#): > > Great idea. I see you’re getting in before the rush. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/44 "2011-12-19T07:32:06Z")
I like stealing other peoples ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Mellivora\_capensis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mellivora\_capensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellivora_capensis)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/45 "2011-12-19T08:40:11Z")
What’s the difference between a lawyer and a doctor? A lawyer writes a “cease and desist” letter, a doctor issues a “cyst and deceased” certificate. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/46 "2011-12-19T14:49:51Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > I don’t see how a living poster would request it, unless he was about to kill himself. However, you could have an opt-in or opt-out provision before you died. Obviously, just like DarrenS requested it in this thread. My issue is this: I like to think of my profile and my posts as being owned by me – as opposed to being owned by the message board at large. I don’t like the idea of my stuff being changed by others while I am here, after I leave, or when I die. I suspect that other posters feel the same way, including some already deceased members. Now obviously we don’t really own or control our profiles or posts. Admins can and do change them. I would just like to minimize these occurences. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/47 "2011-12-19T15:05:34Z")
> [@CaveMike](#): > > I don’t like the idea of changing someone’s profile info without their permission. It reminds me a bit of Mormons baptizing dead people. > [@CaveMike](#): > > My issue is this: I like to think of my profile and my posts as being owned by me – as opposed to being owned by the message board at large. I don’t like the idea of my stuff being changed by others while I am here, after I leave, or when I die. I suspect that other posters feel the same way, including some already deceased members. WTF? They’re not changing your profile or your identity or your personal information. They’re changing your status, just like changing it to “banned” or changing it from “Charter Member” to “Oops you forgot to reup in time Member”\*, or changing it from “Guest” to “Moderator”. That’s an administration of the board feature, not a personal info feature. It is totally in the realm of the things that the board owners control and change at their whim. ## It’s not like we’d be appending “deceased” to your Username or something. \*Not a real title. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/48 "2011-12-19T15:11:59Z")
> [@CaveMike](#): > > Obviously, just like DarrenS requested it in this thread. > > My issue is this: I like to think of my profile and my posts as being owned by me – as opposed to being owned by the message board at large. I don’t like the idea of my stuff being changed by others while I am here, after I leave, or when I die. I suspect that other posters feel the same way, including some already deceased members. > > Now obviously we don’t really own or control our profiles or posts. Admins can and do change them. I would just like to minimize these occurences. The state of your corpus is not a part of your posts, and is clearly not going to be changed by any actions of the Admins. (Well, I sure hope not, anyway. And I’m not gonna read the user agreement to see what else it says about the “ownership” of our posts.) As for your profile, a user-created profile seems to be – well, I can’t think of a better word than ‘expired’ – once the user has become likewise. Count me in on the YEA side. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/49 "2011-12-19T15:40:43Z")
I’m not emeritus yet. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/50 "2011-12-19T16:09:44Z")
> [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](#): > > I think the Something Awful forums did this with custom titles, and someone immediately hijacked the account of a user who died in a motorcycle accident and spammed the forums with “HOW DO I RODE BIKE” everywhere. That’s so awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/51 "2011-12-19T18:22:35Z")
I think it would be helpful to indicate on the member’s “membership type” line that they’re no longer posting because they’ve died, as opposed to no longer posting here, but might do so again. For example: **UserName Custom title**\* Membership type [deceased] (\*for those who have one) I’ll take advantage of the opportunity and go on record as saying, in the event of my death, I want my “membership type” line edited to include: [deceased]. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/52 "2011-12-19T18:30:32Z")
So what’s the big deal some are making here? Not counting those who manage this place, you are either a Guest, Member or Charter Member. Adding a new category “Deceased” or something similar is just another category. It’s a sign of respect for those who may no longer post but their words live on. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/53 "2011-12-19T18:51:55Z")
i just noticed a second recent validly woke from the dead thread (new info) where a person replied to a comment from a member who will not wake from the dead. not that the comments made might not be good, though they shouldn’t be expecting a reply. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/54 "2011-12-19T19:24:42Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > WTF? They’re not changing your profile or your identity or your personal information. They’re changing your status, just like changing it to “banned” or changing it from “Charter Member” to “Oops you forgot to reup in time Member”\*, or changing it from “Guest” to “Moderator”. > > That’s an administration of the board feature, not a personal info feature. It is totally in the realm of the things that the board owners control and change at their whim. > > ## It’s not like we’d be appending “deceased” to your Username or something. > > \*Not a real title. Relax Irishman. Changing a status to Guest or Banned is a board admin task. Each status reflects the user’s state in regards to the board only. Adding new states to reflect the user’s real life state is outside the scope of board management and should be initiated by the user (or at least require the user’s permission). Admins shouldn’t change board status to Deceased (or Married, Has Kids, or anything else). It isn’t appropriate. Furthermore, a deceased member is not here to object. I think it is insensitive and inappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/55 "2011-12-19T19:28:55Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > So what’s the big deal some are making here? > > Not counting those who manage this place, you are either a Guest, Member or Charter Member. Adding a new category “Deceased” or something similar is just another category. It’s a sign of respect for those who may no longer post but their words live on. I am the only person that objected and I laid out my reasoning. I don’t think any big deals have been made. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/56 "2011-12-19T19:56:17Z")
We already have an in memorial sticky to remember those who we have confirmation have passed. This title idea is not much different in spirit from the sticky we already use. I think it’s a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/57 "2011-12-19T20:32:14Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > We already have an in memorial sticky to remember those who we have confirmation have passed. This title idea is not much different in spirit from the sticky we already use. > > I think it’s a good idea. I think it’s a good idea as well. If I’m dead, I probably won’t care what anyone says about me. But I’m curious now - what sort of “confirmation” (or _proof_) of passing would be sufficiently guaranteed that the information of a poster’s demise is indeed so? Because the thread between and online persona and the real person may be quite flimsy and attenuated; probably is in most cases here. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/58 "2011-12-19T20:44:52Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > I think it’s a good idea as well. If I’m dead, I probably won’t care what anyone says about me. > > But I’m curious now - what sort of “confirmation” (or _proof_) of passing would be sufficiently guaranteed that the information of a poster’s demise is indeed so? Because the thread between and online persona and the real person may be quite flimsy and attenuated; probably is in most cases here. Sometimes posters who knew the person in RL will send the admin and obit. Sometimes a credible family member will post, using the deceased account or create one, and mod/admin will contact in RL. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/59 "2011-12-19T20:54:49Z")
I have no objection to it, and certainly see some merit. On the flip side, the confirmation factor adds a burden to the staff. Perhaps not much more burden than already encountered for the In Memoriam thread, and certainly no guarantee that there isn’t a member that has expired that we just don’t realize that’s why they are no longer posting. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647/60 "2011-12-19T20:59:31Z")
Ok then. “allegedly deceased” 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-additional-member-status-of-deceased/606647.md?page=4)