Suggestions

Sylvia -- "even though I corrected it, any messages dating from that time will still show that name."

They shouldn't.

If you check way back in your messages, you'll find that all messages from me show only as from/to the current "me". My switch happened in September 2008, as I recall ... the adventures of Janey Canuck in the west. ;). And all PMs in your boxes from/to you should show as from/to your current username.

(It used to be that messages one sent to a married woman who had put a birth surname in her account details showed in one's own mail lists as being to her married surname, and messages from her showed as being from her birth surname. Or vice versa.)

I made sure of that -- that the name on all my PMs, to and from me, changed -- when it suddenly dawned on me how my privacy had been violated for months, and (despite not being a fan of name-shifting on discussion boards) adopted my pen name.

"This could have privacy implications for some members."

Hahahahaha.

Nearly four years now, I have been wailing in the wilderness about this.

In order to protect my own identity and privacy, I had to remove all of my real name from my account details and put my username details instead. It took me a long time to realize that my full name was being given out to anyone who sent me a message or received a message from me, or who clicked on my username. Bad enough that my username was my real given name -- it just hadn't occurred to me when I first started that I needed to prevent this site from violating my privacy.

Yes, there is now an option to have one's username as one's identity on PMs.

This is not adequate.

The default option should be username, not real name. People should not have to perform an operation to prevent their identity being disclosed.

In fact, the system should not disclose anyone's full name, period, unless they choose to use it when they create their username.

And this should be applied retroactively -- ALL accounts should be set by the site management so that only the given name (where no username was selected) can be seen when the username is clicked or a PM sent/received.

All those hundreds of thousands of people with trees on this site -- when a tree search finds a name in their tree and you click on their name, bingo, there is their surname.

And this is despite the fact that the privacy policy clearly states:

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/content.page/legal_privacy_policy

"Search results from your tree will only be associated with you by your first name (which will be displayed together with the search results)"

FALSE.

Yeah one day they may answer our questions if we are lucky

jax

Thanks for the reply, Jonesey.

I personally don't have an issue with using my real name as I'm a nobody but it could be a concern for some who use a board name because they have to.

My pm's to Sylvia were last year so that must be the reason why her box must be pale on my screen.

Now if only GR monitored the boards then we must be able to get a straight answer. :-)

I think it is only recent contacts Rose.

I know I have seen some I have messaged before but they are still purple.

Then sylvia said I was still purple and we sent messages a couple of nights ago.... but I sent the first one, its only an idea?

jax

ok just tried something, I clicked on Sylvia's 'send message , which was dark purple, then Gai's 'send message' also dark purple..I know I have messaged Sylvia previously, but not Gai...now they are both pale, but Jax who I have had messages with , but not clicked on now, is still dark purple...

lol confused :D

I know my maiden name showed for a time when sending messages ........

and even though I corrected it, any messages dating from that time will still show that name.



However, that is my maiden name, and although I didn't like the idea of i, it isn't as bad as if they showed my married name!

If you go to "My Account" there is an option to use your board name rather than your real name when you send messages.

Does that help?

I was a bit puzzled with your theory Jax, as I couldn't recall ever sending messages with Sylvia so her box should have been purple.

So I went to my contacts and starting typing Sylvia when I was prompted with a name of Sylvia ............ When I clicked on this filter SylviainCanada appeared as part of my contacts and yes we have exchanged messages in the past. So it looks like your real name shows only in the filter when searching for contacts.

This could have privacy implications for some members.

Now I'm sure there was a thread in the past that talked about whether your real name ever shows on GR if you have a board name but I've had a quick look and can't find it.

and now it's working normally

I couldn't get on Gins thread either, kept getting the Error message.


THEN, I clicked on Post Date, so that most recent posts showed.

Typed a reply to R, submitted it ...... it posted and the thread went back to my normal most recent post last.


Haven't tried to go back in there since though



sylvia

See I told you :D

This site is playing up tonight I cannot get on Gins thread keep getting error messages

So I have been doing my tree on anc*stry found a hint for another tree but the parents were different and I could not match up the spouse that she had....yep she had it wrong this was a half brother of my gt gt grandfather and found out in the end he married the sister of my gt gt grandmother...so two brothers had married two sisters...result

jax

jax


yours is bright purple?


but we've exchanged lots of pms




AH HA....... I've clicked on it, and it is now very pale



so ............. is it a means of showing that we have been in contact with the perosn (OR been nosy and tried to see a name for them!)?




sylvia

I think it is a pale colour if you have sent that person a message before or looked to see their real name if it is recorded.

Sylvia's is pale because we have sent messages but your one Gai is still bright purple

jax

Sylvia,

Funny you are the first one to reply as It was yours that made me notice it so I went through and all your posts I looked at were blanked out.

Then I noticed at some peoples are and some aren't.

Gai

I have noticed it .......... but no idea why!


BTW ...... yours looks blanked out to me



sylvia

Has anyone else noticed that on some members profile when they post of the boards that the send message box looks blanked out where as others are a bright purple colour.

You can still send messages to those that have a blanked out box so I wonder why some members are different. Or Special which ever way you want to look at it.

Gai