Up for discussion in the ranks of internet common sense is this site. At the time of this posting the site is timing out when I try to check into it, but I attribute it to the coverage it received on the AP Wire today. (email me if the link is broken and I will look for a new link to the article).
Your students may first tell you that "No one uses myspace anymore, it's old, the cool kids use facebook, blah blah blah". The concept of this site is the same regardless of where the profiles come from - it could be DeathBook.com, DeathXanga.com - it's the idea we want to look at.
Is this a good idea? Bad idea? Why? Do they know anyone who could have a place on the site? How would they feel seeing someone they knew on the site? What are the potential problems of this site? (ex: Misidentification of people - a live person being put on the Death site) How can it help? (ex: It's a relevant way to remember people in a way that they participated in when they were alive.) How is it like other ways of grieving? (ex: roadside memorials, both are public and not something that everyone feels the need to do) How is it different from other ways of remembering the dead? What are the risks of having a link like this? (ex: exposing vulnerable loved ones of the dead person to the risk on people who will try to take advantage of them when they are grieving).
