Generation grief: A modern way of letting go

Notice on the article above, the tragic loss of a 16-year-old aspiring model in Neath. It's one of the most recommended articles this year on WalesOnline.

What is the recommended button there for? The equivalent of a Facebook like? A chance to show you appreciate the story, the author or the subject?

I've spotted a trend on WalesOnline, whenever we report the death of a young person - again, the one below is for a teenage boy drowning in a river in Carmarthenshire - we don't get comments (very rarely) but we do get a lot of recommendations. Constantly in the most recommended lists, knocking rugby stars and political debates down a peg or two. Facebook is for posting the RIP messages and joining groups expressing your sorrow, sharing that grief with your friends, but local media sites are the way to show the wider world (outside of the Facebook login) that the death of a friend/relative is important to the community.

It seems in the case of the death of young people it's a way of showing you care. It says to us as editors that you think this story is important, you're showing us it should be high up the news list and it should be featured.

And I'd say, keep recommending, we are paying attention. What we do need to figure out is a way to turn our comments off (for active court proceedings) but keeping the recommendation option on.

Have you noticed this trend to pay tribute by recommending or liking a story on news sites? Let me know in the comments below