For many families, facing the loss of a loved one is quite difficult.
Now, some third -party websites of Ontario make tasks more difficult by republishing necrologies without knowledge of mourning families, often in order to take advantage of their loss.
THE Ontario mourning authority (BAO) rings the alarm, saying that these companies benefit from republication necrologies without consent of family members.
In an opinion published in the spring edition of its magazine, the provincial regulator says that certain websites copy the opinions of death and republish them to sell “in memory” of articles like flowers, candles and a planting of trees in honor of someone who died.
Although articles may seem to be tributes organized by the family, the BAO warns that this is often not the case. Families receive nothing and often do not know that the necrology of their loved one has been published elsewhere.
“People generally discover unauthorized necrological opinions – of their fathers, mothers, grandparents and others – when they occur online,” said the BAO.
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Such a website, afterlife.co, was ordered by a federal court in 2019 to pay $ 20 million in damages After a collective appeal revealed that he had taken advantage of the necrologies and republished photos. The company then closed its doors, according to the BAO.
But the concerns have resurfaced by Echovita, a more recent third -party website that seems to work in the same way.
According to the Quebec Business Register, the company is linked to Paco Leclerc, which was also listed as director of life after death in the 2019 decision.
Reddit users now share worrying experiences to find their loved ones on Echovita without authorization.
“My father’s necrology appeared on this site three hours after having published it,” wrote a person. “They even deleted the name of my husband and all the grandchildren. Talk to add the insult to the injury. “
Another mourning user added: “They went and wrote a really inaccurate obit. It makes me feel sick in my stomach. ”
The BAO urges the public to verify any obituary before spending money on commemorative gifts.
Only the advice of trust published on the websites of the funeral show authorized by the BAO. To confirm, look for the insignia “under BAO license” at the bottom of the home page of the funeral show or directly call the funeral lounge.
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