Trying to find a Memories Contributor

Tom6089

I'm new here and am interested in contacting an individual whose user ID is "(information removed)". I am unable to find any other identifier for this individual. I am interested in asking her some questions regarding many of her contributions to the Tree of "Daisy Dell Simpson - GM87-GTD. I have tried using Chat, but keep getting an error message where the "Chat" button is grayed out. I've tested using the "Chat" function for other contributors, and the "Chat" button functions correctly. Any help would be very much appreciated.

Tom [name removed for privacy]

Nyx773

@Tom6089
Welcome to FamilySearch!

Thank you for providing the profile ID number.
When clicking on that contributor's name, their profile states "Unable to message this user."
Click on "Learn More" and the reason why is one or more of the following:

• The user is under the age of 18.
• The user does not have a valid birth date.
• The user did not enable chat in the account settings.
• The user lives in a country where chat is not enabled.
• The user has not completed registration.
• The user has been marked deceased.

Tom6089

Thanks very much for the prompt reply. As a follow-on, what happens to the photos and articles that a user has posted if that user cannot be contacted? Specifically, I would like to use one of the photographs that (information removed) has posted in a biography I'm compiling. How would I go about obtaining permission to use that photo?

Thanks again,

Tom

MandyShaw1

@AmberML1 I think we need your input please.

sc woz

@Tom6089

Mod note: a post was edited to remove code violations. Please see the Community Code of Conduct. 

Tom6089

I apologize for my error. Thanks for the correction.

Tom

lindsayanngermer1

@Tom6089

Tom, this is a great question, and it comes up often.

When a contributor cannot be contacted — for reasons such as being under 18, not completing registration, disabling chat, or being marked deceased — FamilySearch still preserves the Memories they uploaded. These items remain part of the shared, collaborative archive.

If I'm not mistaken, FamilySearch Policy allows continued use of those Memories under the following conditions:

1. Use must remain within genealogical or personal family‑history purposes.
FamilySearch grants users a license to use Memories for research, documentation, and biographical compilation as part of the shared tree.

2. The original contributor should be credited.
A simple attribution such as:“Photo originally uploaded by [username] on FamilySearch Memories.”
keeps the use transparent and respectful.

3. The image must not be altered in a misleading way.
Edits that change historical accuracy or create confusion about authenticity should be avoided.

4. No commercial redistribution.
Memories uploaded by contributors cannot be republished commercially or used outside genealogical contexts without separate copyright clearance.

If the contributor cannot be contacted, not additional permission is required for use within FamilySearch-related work.

The system is designed to preserve Memories long‑term, even when contributors become inactive or unreachable. This ensures that valuable historical materials remain accessible to descendants and researchers.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask and we will do our best to answer them.

Tom6089

Thank you very much for your comprehensive answer.

With regard to item number 4, my proposed use of the Memories posted by this particular contributor could eventually lead to a commercial biography. If I cannot contact the contributor for whatever reason, how would I go about obtaining "separate copyright clearance?" It seems like a catch-22 situation with no possible solution. I certainly do not want to impinge on anyone's privacy or skirt copyright laws. Just looking to see if there's any way to resolve the situation.

Thanks again for your help. It is very much appreciated.

Tom