But I imagine that enough casual folks will be duped into buying a memorial in order to keep these jokers encouraged. Yes, AOL was paid. Well, I don't know that as fact, but that is the business model they have used with many other content providers. AOL has such a large audience, that they can demand large sums from vendors wishing to set up shop on AOL's property. I've seen quite a few sites that are trying to sell online memorials, but I don't think people are ready to pay money for it.
Death is a very personal thing.
It's not a novelty. People still look at online memorials as a novelty. I don't know. But it just does not give me that same feeling of being at a live memorial service. But I think there is a place for FREE online memorials.