Why is my account and my husbands account combined on FamilySearch Community?
My husband and I each have separate accounts in FamilySearch with separate usernames and passwords. However when I come over to Community and login with my username and password I see not only my questions under my account but also his. In fact it looks like I submitted his questions except they are signed by him. And the same thing happens if we login with his username and password. It looks like he submitted all my questions except that they are signed by me. What's happening?
malich
Best Answer
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Note: all of earlier responses are incorrect--even mine. The guest is correct that the two accounts are conflated. When her husband is signed in to Community, all of the questions and answers that originated from both accounts in Community show as coming from his public Community username (bdlich) When she is signed into Community, all of the same correspondence magically changes to show as originating from her public Community username (malich). And when the account that is not signed in doesn't show on any correspondence that account cannot be found using a search. Also, it appears that the username identifier of whichever account was last signed in persists when neither is signed in. But we didn't investigate that thoroughly. It is a system problem and it has been assiduously documented and referred to the technical teams.
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@bdlich If you go to your Profile - upper right corner area icon and Edit Profile. Does your user account show or your husbands? It sounds like the profiles got switched.
Interesting - you asked the question as bdlich and now the post changed to @malich - seems like shenanigans to me... I don't know how that could have happened without you logging out and logging in with a different user account? It does seem like the two accounts are 'crosslinked' - but I wouldn't know how to separate them - let alone know how they got that way. Forum Admin - please. help.
From your previous post on this issue it appears that because of the public computer you are using and the previous user not logging out you are having this issue? The issue appears to be related to the particular configuration of your system and how it handles browser accounts. Maybe there is an issue with the FamilySearch Community platform that is being used - I don't know - otherwise it's just an issue with interacting with your system's configuration. There is also the option when logging into FamilySearch to 'Stay logged in for 2 weeks' [I think that's the right timeframe but it's similar wording] perhaps with the multiple users on the computer one or more is choosing that option and the computer gets confused about which account to stay logged in under?
I also received this email notice today.
Thanks for your patience with questions specific to your computer systems configuration/shared usage/ the persistent logon option!
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Just a thought but perhaps your computer is set up to autosign in with FamilySearch/Community?
If you go into your browser settings (3 dots at top right on Google Chrome) scroll down to autofill and look at which websites have their passwords saved there.
If FamilySearch is listed, click on the 3 dots to the right and REMOVE
Perhaps worth a try? I have known people to have had similar problems before where an old password was autosaved by the system preventing them from signing in
Hope you manage to get this resolved
Rosemary
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Despite attempts by websites to maintain a "shared computer" option, modern browsers have a Very Hard Time with multiple logins. That's just not how they think. This is especially true for shared-login setups, like the one between FamilySearch proper and FS Communities.
It's not ideal, but your best option is probably for you and your spouse to use different browsers when accessing a website for which you each have accounts. (I don't know if it'll fix your current Communities mess, but it's certainly worth a try.)
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The specialty team has reviewed this issue and sent a private message to the guest.
Note: Suggestions offered as public information regarding sharing a browser with another guest in community. When sharing a browser with a family member, a guest must pro-actively sign out before another guest can sign in. Community does not appear to have a timeout feature. And a guest can sign in at FamilySearch.org with their own credentials and then switch to the community website--thinking that they are signed in to their own account in community. However, community will be signed in as whoever signed in last to community--regardless of who is signed in to FamilySearch in the same browser. FamilySearch and Community are two different websites in that respect. One way to resolve this is to use one's own browser in community and not share the same browser with another guest. Another option (recommended) is to navigate to community and sign out of any account that is signed in and then sign in to one's own account by typing over any pre-filled credentials. Finally, make sure that each family member has their own email address in their FamilySearch and community accounts so that messages will come back from community to the person whose account is signed in when the question was posted. Discovering who is signed in can be easily done by clicking on the "avatar" picture in the upper right corner of the community page. The Contact Name/Username of the signed in person will appear below the picture. If it is not the guest who is at the computer, then they should sign out and enter their own credentials to sign back in (by typing over any browser suggested credentials).
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I tried using Edge and the same thing happened. I signed in and used FSCommunity long before my husband did. I use my own login and sign my posts malich. I think he has only used community once or twice and he signed in using his login and signed his posts bdlich. It was after he used it that I noticed the problem. On my account at the top of the post it always shows malich regardless of whether it has my signature or his is at the bottom. When he is logged in at the top of the posts it always says bdlich regardless of whose signature is at the bottom.
My guess is it is related to the fact we share an email address. The shared email address does not cause a problem with our familysearch accounts.
FSCommunity needs to allow for the fact that some of us share an email address. I know several other couples who also share an address.
malich
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FYI
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
Further to what has already been proffered ...
And, particularly, in relation to your last (the previous) 'Comment' ...
My Wife and I also have BOTH separate, 'FamilySearch' Accounts; and, Credentials (including: "E-mail" addresses).
But ...
That Said ...
One uses the PRINCIPAL "E-mail" Address account; whereas, the other uses an ALIAS "E-mail" Address account, subordinate to the PRINCIPAL "E-mail" account.
"E-mails" from 'Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' (including: "User Messaging") principally go to our respective "E-mail" Addresses - all good.
Whereas, "E-mails" from the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum, for the one using the ALIAS "E-mail" Address can finishing up in EITHER, the PRINCIPAL "E-mail" Address; and/or, the "Alias" E-mail Address.
That is NOT a real problem/issue, just a nuisance.
Now ...
That Said ...
I believe that the real problem/issue that you are experiencing, is as has already been explained ...
It is NOT the "Shared" PRINCIPAL "E-mail" account, with separate "Email" Address ...
And, it is MANY not be just about using DIFFERENT "Browsers" ...
IF, you BOTH use that SAME Computer; THEN, that MAY be the real problem/issue; being, the SAME "IP Address" ...
My Wife and I, use the SAME (Laptop) Computer; and, that (Laptop) Computer, is ALSO used, when we are helping/assisting others.
I have noticed, that even though, we (All), "Sign In'; and, "Sign Out", of 'FamilySearch', on each occasion ...
IF, a particular User/Patron has been "Using" the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum, in ANY "Browser"; THEN, if, that particular User/Patron DOES NOT ALSO, "Sign In'; and, "Sign Out", of the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum; then, when the NEXT User/Patron "Signs In", with their 'FamilySearch' Account; and, subsequently, goes and "Uses" the the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum, they INADVERTENTLY do so using the previous User's/Patron's the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum credentials; as, the PREVIOUS User's/Patron's "Community.FamilySearch" Forum credentials were NEVER "Logged Out" (ie. "Signed Out") - often, even, FURTHER back than just the PREVIOUS User/Patron; and, it did not matter which "Browser" was used.
As previous advised, in the 'Comment', by 'Bruce', in the post before your last ...
The "Community.FamilySearch" Forum DOES NOT have an AUTOMATIC "Log Out"/"Time Out" like our 'FamilySearch' Accounts; and, as such, the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum REMAINS "Active" until "Logged Out"; and, it 'seems', regardless of the "Bowsers" being used, on the SAME Computer, with the SAME "IP Address".
Please be aware that BOTH, 'FamilySearch'; and, the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum, are, separate; and, distinct, PROGRAMMES, operating separately (ie. independently of each other), on separate PLATFORMS; but, that they are SIMPLY "Synchronized" together, to appear to work as one.
Thus ...
IF, two (x2) [or, more] Users/Patrons, are using the SAME Computer, with the SAME "IP Address"; THEN, "All" the Users/Patrons, MUST, on each and every occasion, "Sign In: and "Sign Out", of BOTH, their 'FamilySearch' Account'; and, their, "Community.FamilySearch" Forum Account; BEFORE, Another User/Patron uses the SAME Computer, with the SAME "IP Address".
As an aside ...
I have noticed, that SAME situation/circumstance, some time ago, on Computers, in the "Family History Centres", of the Church; and, I noticed this PRIOR to (and, INDEPENDENT of) the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum, when Patrons to the "Family History Centres" DID NOT "Sign Out" of Premium Websites" (eg. Ancestry_com; "FindMyPast_co_uk"; and, the like), that they were using. When the NEXT User/Patron came along to use a Computer, the Premium Websites" (eg. Ancestry_com; "FindMyPast_co_uk"; and, the like) were already AUTOMATICALLY "Signed In" as a PREVIOUS Patron.
I cannot be certain, that such is your particular problem/issue; but, I suspect, that such MAY be the case.
Just my thoughts.
Brett
ps: From one who has experienced similar ...
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