About two weeks ago, we were informed on the death of a CSUMB faculty member. After hearing several details about the given person, as a class we were instructed to discuss if it was ethical to disclose the name, and specfic details about a person's death online. Before discussing this topic with my group, I flashed back to the day I read a KSBW news report stating that a 21 year old man was killed by an incoming train in Soledad. That "21 year old man" was a long time friend of mine, and at the time I was in utter shock to hear about the devastating news. I would like to point out that the news report was very short and to the point with no name and only a time estimate for specific details. No follow up report was ever issued after both the parents and other family members verified the death of the person. I do not know the exact process of reporting a death from a community but I can see both the benefits and the negative aspects of it. For one, many people were questioning, including myself if it was our longtime friend who had passed. This worried and troubled many people as they were very close to him while others were out of the loop by not even knowing that he has possibly passed away. Reporting ONLY the name, would allow many other the friends of the given person to attend the funeral and possibly assist the family expenses along with emotional support. Despite of this, I can also imagine the parents not wishing for their son's name to be on the report and only the news to travel through word of mouth. This would ensure that only the closest family members and friends attend the funeral.Personally, I feel that both the death details and name will be at some point disclosed as an event like that never tends to remain a secret. The only control one may have is at the beginning in how much information should be disclosed but oever time, everyone might eventually know the details and name of the person.
1 Comment
Darren Chan
4/9/2017 01:30:22 pm
Things like death is something that I believe must be taken seriously. Events like the faculty from CSUMB is something that is tragic, but at the same time I believe it is the right for her students to know what happened. Death is just a part of life and like you said people will find out eventually, so it is no secret in the end.
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AuthorFirst generation computer scientist that loves football. Archives
May 2017
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