Right to privacy after death?
By JenInTN
@JenInTN (27514)
United States
May 27, 2009 4:09am CST
I was surprised to hear a story in which a family is suing a police department over their daughter's right to privacy after death. She was in a car accident and apparently an officer took pictures of her and the accident with a cell phone and sent them to some fellow officers and friends. Before they knew it..they were all over the net. I thought about this and I want my privacy after death. After further research I was horrified to find that there are several websites that post pictures of people after death! I'm sick about it. What do you think? Does it really matter to you or do you still want your privacy after death?
6 people like this
7 responses
@jazel_juan (15747)
• Philippines
28 May 09
hmmm that was cruel of them and it is not part of their duty to do so. the officer should have been complained and sanctioned or something!
2 people like this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
27 May 09
Hey Jen! I had read this story a few weeks ago and was really
horrified to see that the pictures had been leaked to the
websites and that the family had no knowledge of this beforehand!
The had never seen the pictures and had not wanted to see them
because of the horrific nature of them! Their daughter was
pretty much decapitated from the accident and did not want
to ever see the pictures and there they were all over the
internet for everyone to see! This is absolutely disgusting!
How dare these officers let these photos be leaked for anyone
to see! I think this is beyond sick and whoever is responsible
for this should be punished!
2 people like this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
28 May 09
Heyya Opal! How are you? I'm glad to hear from you.
Yes that's the story. It was a very horrible accident indeed. I think it is a shame and terrible these pics got out. Their other children are a great concern for the parents as well. They are afraid of coming across these pictures on the net. Thanks for the input and take care.
1 person likes this
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
27 May 09
I certainly think that's a very cruel thing to do. For those that circulates such pictures around, whatever are they thinking. What if it happens to their beloved family members, how would they react. I sometimes think in situations like this, an animal has more remorse than a human like that. The family definitely has the right to sue in this case. Thanks for sharing this news, Jenin..
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
27 May 09
Of course i do. Ithink he should be fired for doing that. anyone who goes to that site has got to be sick in the head. my sister was killed in a wreck. of course it was before computers but i would have been horrified if pictures of her had beenput on. that is horrible.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
28 May 09
thanks jen, it was in 1962 but it is always close to my heart. have a happy day. jo
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
3 Jun 09
Jen-
Was the officier reprimanded or put on administrative leave?I understand taking pictures for the crime scene, but to simply post them on the internet seems like a violation of their job and something that they could be reprimanded for if not fired for. I definately don't think it was in good taste, nor does it seem ethical. How horrible for the family to have to endure such a thing. That is not how anyone needs to remember their daughter that they just lost. I would definately not want my face plastered on the internet should I die in such a way.
Namaste-Anora
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
3 Jun 09
Hi Anora! That's where it gets tricky. The officer didn't take them to be posted. He took some pictures and sent them to a friend who sent them to a friend..so on and so forth until they were posted on the internet. It is a horrible thing to think of happening in a moment like that. Thanks for the response.
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
4 Jun 09
Jen-
My problem would be "Why did he send them to a friend in the first place", you know? I mean, that seems really unprofessional to say the least. I think that the lesson learned here from this officier is to think first before we do something. What we may think of as innocent at the time, may prove to be disasterous in the long run. I mean, here this officier is being written about online. Sooner or later his employer to could read all of these comments, he could, his friends could, and even though the name wasn't mentioned people will know who he was. That's a pretty tough thing to now have to live with.
Namaste-Anora
@anniefannie (1737)
• United States
29 May 09
some people are just sick when they put those kind of pictures on the internet.they have no respect for others is what i think
@syankee525 (6261)
• United States
27 May 09
i can see both side of this.. i mean if i was my child and we just lost her and then seeing the pictures all over the net would make me upset. for one it would keep reminding me of them, and then seeing how bad they look would destoried me as well.
but yeah i think lawsuit maybe alittle much but i can understand why they would do it
