Genealogy Chat

Having reported a thread on living relatives because it invaded the privacy of the birth mother....I received this


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I did not say the post was hateful or offensive....so what has that got to do with someones privacy???

It has been reported again this time it has been removed.....no reply to me about how appalled I was with their decision not to remove it when first asked.

I am not in the habit of reporting anything, seems to me I was being told off for bringing it to their attention. when they could be dealing with an argument on the chat board over something trivial.

So if GR are going to review anything it would also be a good idea if they replied with the correct standard email that would relate to what has been asked of them

Many years ago, Channel 4 TV used to have a text page where one could look for lost relations...............they would not under any circumstances entertain queries about adopted children.

I always thought that was very sensible..............

There was one posted that night looking for her sisters child that was adopted... sex not known or what year born....but from the info given the sister was easily found living with husband some 50 years later....think I may report it, as the poster is unlikely to return

To be perfectly honest, GR staff should be manning the FLR board not members who have paid a subscription to this site.

FLR has far reaching implications not only for the seeker but the person being sought. This is why I don't look at that board.

I think most posted after the LLF program was aired....which did not give much time for anyone to reply and get an answer before 9 am.

Oh there were a few that expected the use of a crystal ball to find someone...but that goes without saying

Really if GR wanted to do something like this they needed to give more notice and perhaps mention that if they didn't return before the cut off time they could not post a reply of any sort

GR need to monitor two figures, how many took advantage of the freebee and how many of those that took advantage went on to become a paid member?

But then again they should be already monitoring how much new business is generated from their advertising campaigns. There is no point in spending 1p on advertising if most of the new business is generated from sites like facebook and twitter.

"If Cynthia is going to send messages ......."

She's said she won't go near FLR

On that basis, if posting 'helpers' suspect that the OP was taking advantage of the free period, might they consider PM'ing a return-to-thread-and-are-you-able-to-post message?

I'm using the time of posting as a guide........and the number of posts against the name.

Any requests posted between 3pm on Aug 5th and 9am on Aug 6th are likely to be people taking advantage of the offer............and probably without the slightest idea that come 9am on the 6th, they'd no longer be able to post to the boards.

They can see the info...............but can't react to it.............always assuming that they return, of course.....................which most of them probably won't, as there doesn't appear to have been any sort of guidance given by GR when floating this ridiculous scheme

They will be able to view, but not reply

If Cynthia is going to send messages to them telling them they have replies, she may get inundated with requests for help

Okay todays stupid question

After the free membership has ended will they be able to access the boards in any way to view help given on their posts.

If not then the helpers have wasted their time.

Will the free members be offered a membership at a greatly reduced rate to entice them back to the boards?

Is there anyway for the helpers to figure out who is posting on a free membership. Some are obvious but not all are.

Sure some of the paid members will be able to answer this.

The majority of those who posted as a result of this daft idea were long-standing members. And none of them seems remotely interested in paying for GR membership

One example

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1329343

50 new posters on the FLR board?
Most did not hang around for any replies.
But if they knew that they could only post for less than 24 hours, then surely they should have waited.
Several asked to be 'messaged', but that is quite normal expectations.
Unfortunately, because they were so many new posts, and only a few people help on that board, even if posters got back with more information they could easily be overlooked in the 'deluge'.
I tend to wait for someone to get back before I do any more work - just to see if they are serious about what they want (unless it is an interesting name).
As someone has already said, more new posts than in a month - not quite, but considerable.

The piece I read did state specifically that Living Relatives was the freebie Board, so yes, GR was cashing on finding living relatives.


I would love to know if they kept any record of how many new free members posted during that period ................ and thus, whether it was a worthwhile exercise.

Somehow, I doubt it was!

Sorry Jax

I was taking the total ...............P)&& as I didnt notice anything different and the fact that they can see what we post anyway!!!

And every night gets loads of RRs

I,m quite sick of this site its full of great people then you get one or two who sit and rr all over the place

BUT for a small fee I can chat will some lovely people and watch the rubbish

What influx are you waiting for Kemp?

It finished at 9 am this morning :-D

Awaiting influx!!

I,m here to reply !!!

But they will all be the same as it isnt really enough time for people to check the info and come back for more help!!!

Would be better to give them free access to what we write !!!!!! :-( :-D :-) :-P :-| :-0 :-\
OH THEY DO!

Lots of RRs tonite them!

In the last hour, on their FB page, GR have posted about their new People Finder on four threads!


GR definitely seems to be moving away from the family history side of things. Finding living rellies must be more lucrative for them.... :-S

One of the threads I tried to help on didn't post till nearly midnight and was still posting at gone 4 am. She has not been back after 9am, so not sure if she was a freebie for the night or asleep in another country.

At least she hung around

There was a lot of new posts on the living relatives board....quite a few after Long Lost Families finished....but that happens most weeks anyway

just about 2 pages on FLR of new queries perhaps? but very few on FA , so like the FB page it's moving away from ancestors.

Very frustrating that some posters didn't stay around to answer replies, not their fault probably, I suspect some of them didn't have a clue how to find the post again, and would have been a good idea if GR had asked them to 'Stay put! answers will come while you wait !'

DazedConfused, those 'name' and no details posts on FB are fun aren't they ;-) especially when you reply 'what do you want to know?' and the answer is 'anything'