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Post by gillyp on Jun 7, 2024 16:07:48 GMT
An advert for this cropped up on my Facebook feed just now. I hope this links properly. or maybe this: www.amazon.com/Memorial-Forever-Story-Medallion-Headstone/dp/B0CYV9D22J ETA Both the links take me to the UK Amazon home page. This is the link to the UK Company, foreverstory.co.uk/ The idea is that you buy a QR code, create a profile then upload a biography/videos/photos relating to your deceased loved one. The QR code gets affixed to their headstone and people scan it to read what's uploaded. They can add their own memories of the loved one, which I understand the QR owner can vet before they are finally uploaded. As the family Genealogist I was thinking this sounded a brilliant idea until I read a load of comments on a grans.net forum saying they were disrespectful, ghoulish, open to abuse by family members, open to abuse by scammers. So I came here to hear your views! Please tell me what you think! |
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Jun 7, 2024 16:13:41 GMT
As the family Genealogist I was thinking this sounded a brilliant idea until I read a load of comments on a grans.net forum saying they were disrespectful, ghoulish, open to abuse by family members, open to abuse by scammers. So I came here to hear your views! Please tell me what you think! Also the family genealogist and from that viewpoint it sounds intriguing. Then I think about all the unintended consequences that could come from it, especially from any unhappy family members. There are a couple of my family members who have revisionist memories and would love nothing more than to spread their false memories. So as with anything technological, proceed with caution and open eyes! |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jun 7, 2024 16:21:29 GMT
While I think the thought behind it is nice, the potential for abuse would be high, IMO. Then there is the added wrinkle that technology changes so fast it wouldn’t surprise me that within my own lifetime QR codes will become obsolete, or the company that the information is linked to goes bankrupt, or some other unforeseen event happens and those memories are lost anyway. People are honestly better off making a scrapbook, creating a digital copy and updating it as technology changes. Somewhere around here is a VHS tape with my wedding on it. I highly doubt that even if I could find it, it would be playable after 35 years. (And you can add to that list film cameras and 35mm film, beta tapes, 8 track tapes, cassette tapes, many types of digital camera storage discs, even CDs, DVDs and BluRay technologies are on the way out the door.)
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Post by melanell on Jun 7, 2024 16:30:35 GMT
As the family Genealogist I was thinking this sounded a brilliant idea until I read a load of comments on a grans.net forum saying they were disrespectful, ghoulish, open to abuse by family members, open to abuse by scammers. So I came here to hear your views! Please tell me what you think! As a family genealogist, as well, my first thought is that people may be coming to see that grave for 100 years or more into the future, and that the life-span of the website with the linked information will be only as long as the company stays in business, AND opts to keep up the site, which could possibly be a very short amount of time in comparison. So for that reason alone, I would probably not bother. I also think of the deceased family member---if they were alive, how would they feel about whatever pictures, stories, etc. are now being made available to absolutely anyone who happens by their grave and feels curious? I'm a fairly private person, and I know when I'm gone it won't bother me, but right now, while I'm still here, I really hate the idea of anyone adding one of those to my gravestone. And then after I saw you say that others mentioned scammers, the thought also came to mind that if the site was ever hacked, people might find something awful when they scanned the codes instead.  So, I think my overall response is that in some spaces, perhaps technology of that sort isn't necessary or helpful. |
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pilcas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,241 
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Post by pilcas on Jun 7, 2024 16:30:46 GMT
So, could any random stranger scan the code and find out all sorts of details about the deceased? And how many relatives would actually go to the cemetery and read about their friend/relative? Not feeling the need for this.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jun 7, 2024 16:41:36 GMT
So, could any random stranger scan the code and find out all sorts of details about the deceased? And how many relatives would actually go to the cemetery and read about their friend/relative? Not feeling the need for this. This is all true too. In the 13 years my mom has been gone I haven’t been to her gravesite since the funeral. Prior to that I can count on one hand how many times I went there after my dad passed in the late 70’s. It’s just not something I feel drawn to do. |
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Post by littlemama on Jun 7, 2024 16:44:24 GMT
Im fascinated by videos Ive seen where people have a recipe etched into their loved ones headstone. I have never seen this in the wild, but think it is reall cool. QR codes, nit so much
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Post by Linda on Jun 7, 2024 16:46:56 GMT
As the family Genealogist I was thinking this sounded a brilliant idea until I read a load of comments on a grans.net forum saying they were disrespectful, ghoulish, open to abuse by family members, open to abuse by scammers. So I came here to hear your views! Please tell me what you think! Also the family genealogist and from that viewpoint it sounds intriguing. Then I think about all the unintended consequences that could come from it, especially from any unhappy family members. There are a couple of my family members who have revisionist memories and would love nothing more than to spread their false memories. So as with anything technological, proceed with caution and open eyes! yeah - I think this is where I land also |
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Post by Linda on Jun 7, 2024 16:48:40 GMT
Somewhere around here is a VHS tape with my wedding on it. I highly doubt that even if I could find it, it would be playable after 35 years you might be surprised. We had some VHS tapes from about that vintage copied to digital a couple of years ago by our local computer guy. |
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Post by lisae on Jun 7, 2024 17:25:33 GMT
Is this just for burials? More and more people are choosing cremation. I don't see facilities and churches allowing this in their crematoriums. It is definitely not something I would want for myself. I just see this as something else for siblings to fight over after mom and dad have passed. And technology changes. QR codes may be replaced by something else in 5 years or 10 years.
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Post by epeanymous on Jun 7, 2024 19:34:32 GMT
People can add stories to online obituaries too (that was how I found out that my father had an ex-wife and three other kids), so I don’t necessarily see that as an issue. Maybe the content could be set to be approved by a surviving family member?
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Post by ToniW on Jun 7, 2024 21:56:43 GMT
When our mom passed, my brother made a video and posted it on YouTube. The link to the video is on her headstone, so anyone can look at it.
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Post by AussieMeg on Jun 7, 2024 23:26:19 GMT
I selected the following poll options:
Never heard of them before this post
It's a lovely* idea
I would love to read one relating to a relative
* I'm not sure that "lovely" is the right word - maybe interesting or intriguing. It's something I'd like to explore further.
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lindas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,306
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Post by lindas on Jun 7, 2024 23:34:31 GMT
Sounds like a great way for someone to assume the identity of the deceased.
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Post by Zee on Jun 8, 2024 2:34:11 GMT
I've seen this within the last couple years on a grave at a cemetery I was walking through.
Since I can only remember one cemetery I've visited within the past couple years, I wanna say it was at that famous cemetery in Savannah GA that used to have the Midnight in the Garden of Evil statue.
I didn't scan it, guess I should have. It seems like an odd idea, like putting your IG on your grave in 8-track format. That technology won't be around forever. But it's not horrible. I would be amused to see what memories people felt prompted to share about me, good and bad.
It would really piss me off to be dead and hanging out by my grave, floating around waiting for visitors, with no phone to scan the code and read the comments.
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wellway
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,075
Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Jun 8, 2024 3:11:32 GMT
Not something I would be interested in, feels...off.
Although I'm waiting for the first report that people are rick rolled at a graveside.
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Post by disneypal on Jun 8, 2024 3:14:47 GMT
I haven’t seen one in real life but have heard of them. I think it’s a nice idea, but at the same time, I wonder with technology changes, how lasting something like that would be?
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Post by gillyp on Jun 8, 2024 12:48:21 GMT
Not something I would be interested in, feels...off. Although I'm waiting for the first report that people are rick rolled at a graveside. I had to look that up! I think I'd quite like that.  I still like the idea but think the opportunity for scammers would be high particularly as we are already hearing of fake QR codes being placed in car parks where people need to input their bank details to pay the fee. This is free after the initial payment but wouldn't stop a scammer putting a fake code up and asking for a payment in order to view anything. As has been mentioned as well, technology is moving so quickly, how long would it be before these are superceded by something more modern. I like the idea enough to do it for a loved one and I wouldn't mind if someone wanted to do it for me. |
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