Genealogy Chat

I do hope people listen and take notice of your comments. Far too much information goes on these trees, even adding 'living' does not make it impossible to work out who people are as you get their name when they contact you.

Just to remind people again: lots of HM's guests - clever and devious people with a lot of time on their hands - use THIS site and others like it.

Have removed all my tree from here

The recording of family trees is not covered by the data protection legislation. The Data Protection Act 1998 gives you the right to access information held about you by organisations. The act governs how organisations can use the personal information that they hold - including how they acquire, store, share or dispose of it. As far as sites such as GR are concerned, data protection only applies to the information about yourself that you have provided under your account details.

Can someone just clarify exactly what other people can take from your tree and display on theirs. I understood if the person was living ie; the person whose tree it is, then without permission this cannot be done. I have just queried with a member why she has added my name and was informed she used PAF I think it was called to add information, apparently this only shows up names no dates etc. but does however show your parents names etc. I guess I am locking the gate after the horse has bolted as I shall remove my tree. ID fraud has been mentioned in this tread and I certainly know that the answer to many security questions used by Banks etc can easily be answered with information given on this site. How often are you asked Place of Birth? Mothers maiden name?

You are supposed to have permission from each and every living person before you post their details. In theory if you allow someone else to see your tree then they should also have permission from each living individual before they put the details up. In practice, this is unworkable. The only reason the rule is there is to prevent the living individual from trying to bring a case under the Data Protection Act. The case would have to be brought against the member who posted the details, and the likelyhood of this proceeding is zilch. However, as a last resort, if you or any other living person object to their name appearing in another tree, and the tree owner has refused to remove the details, GR will, as a last resort, remove the information, if you ask them to. GR make the point in their terms and conditions that if you allow someone to see your tree, then they might choose to copy your information. This is a risk that you take in letting someone see your tree. I my experience, this is not a problem, as most people are only interested in the bits of information that are close to their own research.

..must add, this is a sensible thread, I haven't been a member since the beginning but at least three years now and I must add that in earlier years this site was the bees knees! It's still good, I read the boards and enjoy that people help still, just as they did for me. I am now a one man tree. Deleted a year ago, Its a shame, because I now will never link with what may be a break out lead. Nevertheless, security above research for all my living or dead, especially when either could be cloned. regards, Bob

Thank you for confirming that names should not be added of anyone alive without permission. I thought this the case but wondered as I had entered my name down as opposed to just 'living' + surname, that this could be considered permission. I agree in most cases people are only interested in their own family as indeed I was. My advice would be to watch for people who have 15,000 plus on their tree you can almost be sure if you look back later everything of yours will be added. Shame some spoil it for the majority who are only interested in family history not name collecting.

After reading some of these comments I want to delete my tree from here. I have another copy not on any website though. How do I delete it please? Di

Faith Click on import/export tree on the left hand side of the page Scroll down and you will see a link to click for deleting your tree.