Private Persons Info Being Seen By Others

Nancy Honea

Hello Fellow Family Searchers,

I have asked this question in the Facebook group, I've also contacted Family Search and haven't gotten a clear answer. FS Help directed me to this forum for answers.

I'm new to FS and genealogy. When I began adding our missing info to the tree, "tasks" were suggested of me and I was advised in FB group to complete these.

Tasks were suggested for my Maternal Grandfather. Specifically his name being on my living mother and her sisters, 2 of which were also living "Birth Registry Page". I affirmed these documents were correct for my Grandfather.

Recently I was contacted through FS messages by an disgruntled Aunt for making her and her living sisters Birth Registry "public on the internet" she says I've set them up for identity theft.

The experienced users in FB group and Family Search help desk have advised that any info for private persons stays private until a death date is added. FS Help says I must have put the info in "memories". I haven't added anything to memories so that can't be how this info was seen publicly.

I recently received an email from FS listing my contributions and showing that I'm following my Grandfather's tree.

Is it possible that if my Aunt was also following my GF that information was seen through that feature? I really need to determine how anyone saw private persons info I added. Members in Facebook group advised aunt may be using my user name and password to access my account. I changed my password per their advice.

This incident has been very upsetting to me and apparently to my Aunt. I didn't begin tracking relatives to anger anyone just put in info for my grandchildren.

Private doesn't always mean private apparently and I've gone in and unattached all of the tasks for living people I've identified for fear of setting others up for identity theft.

I'm now wondering how many other people are going to be angry at me and what I can do to avoid future family strife?

Can someone please help me understand what has happened?

Thank You

Gail Swihart Watson

So, recently a new batch of birth certificates were released in Ancestry that included both of my still very much living aunts. I contacted Ancestry, and what happened there is not related to this thread so I will stop here. Also, that particular collection is not in FamilySearch. But is it possible your aunt's information is available online here in FS, and she thinks you made it public? I would check.

Amy Archibald

Perhaps it is because you attached a record to the deceased family member that also shows living persons. Only those persons or someone who knows them would know that they are living. The documents are within the FamilySearch website, meaning only those who have an account can see them. If she is referring to a document with information about her, she can contact FamilySearch and ask that the record be removed. However, the organization that released the information to FamilySearch is following the law regarding privacy information. Perhaps your aunt should Google her own name to see what information is available to the general public.

Nancy Honea

Thank you Amy.

Nancy Honea

Thank you Gail