Genealogy Chat

Thanks. I hadn't seen it, as I don't come on here as often as I used to. Janet

I absolutely agree Jeanette Have been off the boards for a while so didn't know about this. Off to send an email now. Christine

Julie With a tree the size of mine you wouldnt get very far. GR trees are very hard to navigate and when it a very large one as mine is its almost impossible. I think it totally wrong to expect someone to open their tree to you on first contact. Someone asked me today to see my tree, not even a mention as to who they were interested in. I said NO!! At least a name and a couple of contacts to establish a definate connection. The info in my family tree program on my PC is far more extensive than on GR, you cant put all the info on its pathetic. I will always send info to the person if there is a connection, but will not tolerate rudeness when asked to see my tree when they cant even be bothered to tell me who it is they think we are related via. Margaret

I have just sent a strongly worded mail to them on this subject. I wonder if it will do any good though, because I get the feeling that they don't really care much about what we think. Made me feel a whole lot better though. Cazza

This way of allowing access is getting stupid. I just received a message from someone about a person in my tree. I have that person, but only because they married into the family I am researching. I replied giving them all the info I have. I received another message asking to view my tree. I refused, it wouldnt have helped them as I had already given the info. I have also been given access to theirs. Why would I want it? I am not researching the name!!! I have deleted the contact. Margaret

Yet another person who has contacted me and I can view their tree this is the message I have sent to GR Can you tell me why when I email and when some one emails me for the first time from the names board it gives permission to view our trees/or their's, I don't wish anyone to see my tree I haven't given permission so why is it happening. This is a breach of my priviacy. I don't see any notice when I am sending emails that they will be able to view my tree. I hope I hear soon or I will be contacting someone to find out my rights. Lets see if this gets a reply. Irene

Hope people don't mind, but I think this is very important it should be kept on page one. Everybody who feels the same, please try and keep this on page one so all can read it.

Re: Allow and Remove Click on the Allow button to Allow people to see your tree. Click on the Remove button to Prevent people seeing your tree. It is a command button. Think of it like the 'send' button for emails - you click on it send emails, it does not mean that your email has already been sent.

Thanks to Jenatte and Angie.

Angie and Elizabeth If Allow is showing then you haven't given permission to view your tree. If Remove is showing you have given permisssion to view your tree. Jenaette x

I also only notice this by accident some weeks ago, it seems to be only when you contact someone when you are searching the names list. I suppose it does make sense to the GC/GR team if you want to allow someone to view your tree you click Allow, then when you want to stop them you click remove. But they are not on the receiving end. I too have had emails about the extra week, are they hoping that will stop the older members leaving that help people and who make this site what it is. I said I had had enought weeks ago, but I still visit just to read the messages now and again. It seems to me that like most people (not naming any names) if you say it often enough and load enough they will believe you, so it ends up my way is right and that is the way it will be regardless of the majority view. Irene

Angie, I am the same as you, totally confused now. Can some kind person please clear up the following. Is leaving the ALLOW SHOWING next to contact names, withdraw permission to view tree, or is it REMOVE SHOWING next to contact names to withdraw permission to view tree. Help!!!

I totally agree with the tick box being changed to be ticked rather than unticked. Also be careful about what personal info you give away. I've found several people display my tree on their other websites without my permission. Diane NSW Australia

I agree. I only noticed it by accident. Also when you view your contacts I'm never sure whether that symbol on the right should be ticked or unticked.

Hi everyone I have also contacted GR but recieved no reply. It would appear that I did things the wrong way round. I spotted the uncheck box and unticked it but misunderstood the REMOVE and ALLOW on my contacts page. I then clicked REMOVE against all the names on there and have since been told by Ken that I have actually ALLOWED everyone to see my tree I am totally confused and extremley miffed to say the least. One very unhappy GR member. Regards to you all Angie. PS I hope that now I have put ALLOW next to all the contact names I have withdrawn my tree perhaps some kind person would let me Know. THanxs.

I also haven't seen the ticked box and I'm now wondering if my cousin hasn't either. I've just had an e-mail from her saying that our info. has been added to some-one else's tree. Last year, some-one else extracted all the names from my tree (30 years of research) and added them to theirs. I've just written to see if there is some way of stopping this. Let's see what they say. Elaine

Totally agree with you Jeanette, i was lucky and saw it the first time but i can imagine others didnt as it was half way down the page at least. Claire

I agree. When I deleted some contacts, I found there were several people on here whose trees I could access, and I doubt they realised it. None have emailed me about a connection. I would like to point out I have never looked at anyone's tree, and if I do I will email you to confirm that you intended to give me permission.

I agree strongly - I've just sent this to Support in the hope that they'll get the message eventually: This is just to add my voice to those who say that the default for tree access when making a Names-contact should NOT be that you can accidentally let a complete stranger know lots of detail about your family history. It should be a positive decision, not a passive one - especially given the number of security systems that ask for family names as a password or validating codeword. I look forward to that change being made at the earliest opportunity. Christine

Hi All Completely agree with the Tick Box sugestions. Also feel that Allow & Remove should be made clearer. Mabee a column headed "Allow to view your tree" and then a tick Box! Also have others noticed that when you have emailed someone all the entries in their tree become tagged with "contacted" thus enabling you to, "find" all of their entries. Surely the "contacted" should only be against the person you emailed them about? Richard