Remove the name of a living person from Historical Records

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: I need FamilySearch to remove the name of a living person from Historical Records..

Joan Spychaj

Hello, I was checking up my husband's family name and came across my name JOAN MARIE SPYCHAJ, my daughters, LAUREEN SPYCHAJ, MARGARET SPYCHAJ, as well as my husband FRANCIS MATTHEW SPYCHAJ, SR, and my 2 sons, ROBERT JOHN SPYCHAJ AND FRANCIS MATTHEW SPYCHAJ, JR. records are viewable by anyone, especially since the 1 record I saw about myself, had the WRONG birthdate and year.

It use to be real EASY to have those records removed until I or my family die.

It took me 2 days of searching through several pages to have these records, removed until our deaths.

So how do I go about it as I already had 1 person use my data for fraud?

Thank you Joannie Spychaj, I have contributed for many years to your site.

A van Helsdingen

I found your name in the collection "United States Public Records, 1970-2009". The description of this collection states: these records were generated from telephone directories, property tax assessments, credit applications, and other records available to the public. (Note the last part).

Since these records are available to the public, FamilySearch is allowed to publish them. But if you wish to have your name removed, follow the instructions here, under the heading "How to Remove Your Record From This Collection": https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/United_States,_Public_Records_-_FamilySearch_Historical_Records

Paul W

@A van Helsdingen

Unfortunately, the link against "To remove your information from this collection go to Manage You Public Records page" does not appear to be active. (Produces a "403 Forbidden" page.)

Paul W

Just because records are available elsewhere, it does not mean FamilySearch has to include them in its collections, too. It makes a bit of a mockery of the alleged concern over the privacy of living individuals. It seems keeping IDs for the living hidden in Family Tree just serves legal purposes and does not exist to address any sensitivity factor.

Also, having these records available (the 1940 US census has been referenced in this respect) has led to many IDs of living persons being created as if they were deceased. (Slightly off-topic, but trying to emphasise the importance of this issue, in line with many recent complaints on this forum relating to this subject.)

There should be clearer warnings to users to ensure they make checks that people born in the last 100 years or so are really deceased, before labelling them as such.

A van Helsdingen

The link works for me and redirects to: https://www.peoplefinders.com/opt-out

On the topic of the US Federal Census, I think it will interesting to see if the release of the 1950 census next year has an impact on the public and political debates on the issue of privacy. A lot of Americans aged 72+ will be very upset when their census entry from 1950 gets released next April.

Brett .

@Paul W

Paul

FYI

Like, 'A van Helsdingen', that link also works fine for me and redirects to:

https://www.peoplefinders.com/opt-out

Brett

Paul W

@A van Helsdingen and @Brett

No, whether or not connected to my settings, I get the "403 Forbidden" page in trying either of the links (above) - in both Firefox and Chrome.

Not to important to me personally, not being a US resident or wanting any of my personal details removed, but was just interested in confirming how the process worked for those who did.

Brett .

@Paul W

Paul

Just weird, that both of us, "Downunder" (ie. Australia; and, New Zealand), can get it.

Whereas, you in England, cannot.

Brett

ps: Like you, matters not - just, interesting; and, weird.

.