Pedigree Resource File and living persons
In the FamilySearch Wiki for Pedigree Resource File, says that "must remove any information about living persons if you do not have their permission". However, it also says "People born less than 95 years ago who do not have a death date in the file are considered living", and are thus not displayed.
This seems contradictory. Why do we need permission from living people if their information will not be displayed anyway?
My database contains hundreds of living people whom I've never met, who are mentioned in obituaries and such, in many cases just their names and approximate birth years. Obviously there's no way I will get all their permissions. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to remove them because, 50 or 100 years from now, it will become safe to display their information.
Raymond B. Howard
Answers
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@raymondhow raymondhow
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Raymond
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Just my thoughts ...
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'No', that is NOT contradictory.
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Think about it ...
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One is, a 'Request', more so a 'Requirement' ...
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The other, is an 'Action', just in case, that 'Request', more so 'Requirement', is NOT 'complied with' ...
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The reason being that ...
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'FamilySearch', CANNOT rely, on Users/Patrons, to "Remove" the "Living" individuals/persons, from their GEDCOM Files, of whom the Users/Patrons DO NOT have the "Living" individual's/person's (explicit) Permission, to place their PERSONAL "Details", on a "Public" Website; before, submitting, to the "Pedigree Resource File".
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IF, 'FamilySearch', COULD rely, on Users/Patrons, "Removing" the "Living" individuals/persons, from their GEDCOM Files, of whom the Users/Patrons DO NOT have (ALL) the "Living" individual's/person's (explicit) Permission, to place their PERSONAL "Details", on a "Public" Website; before, submitting, to the "Pedigree Resource File"; THEN, that would be contradictory.
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"Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' DOES include "Living" individuals/persons; but, they can ONLY be seen by (and, RESIDE in the "Private Spaces") of the User/Patron who "Created" them (or, the Church, for the immediate Family, of Members of the Church) - that is a matter of "Privacy".
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Whereas, the "Genealogies" part (including the "Pedigree Resource File") of 'FamilySearch', is VERY "Public" (as, there is NO "Private Spaces" for individual Users/Patrons), for "Research" purposes ONLY; and, should NOT contain any "Living" individuals/persons.
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Personally, I would NOT even give MY "Permission" (explicit; or, implied), for a User/Patron, to uploaded MY Personal "Details", to the "Genealogies" part (including the "Pedigree Resource File") of 'FamilySearch', to be accessible/viewable, let alone any other "Public" websites.
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Think about it, would you want YOUR Personal "Details" made so "Public"; and, accessible/viewable for the World to see, as such!?
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There are a myriad of "Privacy" Laws within the many various Countries and Unions throughout the World - it is a nightmare to negotiate.
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'FamilySearch' is used in many Countries and Unions throughout the World, by many Users/Patrons from those many Countries and Unions throughout the World; and, as such, 'FamilySearch' MUST adhere to the myriad of "Privacy" Laws throughout the World - again, it is a nightmare to negotiate.
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Hence, "Privacy" is one of the reasons that:
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(1) we CANNOT, "Share" the "Living" individuals/persons in our own "Private Spaces" in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'; and,
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(2) there CANNOT be "Living" individuals/persons in the "Genealogies" part (including the "Pedigree Resource File") of 'FamilySearch'
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That is the reason that Users/Patrons, can; and, do, have their OWN, "Private" and "Personal" Databases, of their "Ancestral" lines, that INCLUDE "Living" individuals/persons.
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Again, just my thoughts.
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I know that this does not help; but, I hope that this gives you some perspective.
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And ...
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Here are some "Knowledge Articles" in 'FamilySearch':
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How does Family Tree protect the privacy of living people?
https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/what-is-a-private-space-in-family-tree
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Who can see my living relatives in Family Tree?
https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/who-can-see-my-living-relatives-in-family-tree
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How does Family Tree determine whether a person is living or deceased?
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What is the Pedigree Resource File?
https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/what-is-the-pedigree-resource-file
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What happens to information uploaded from a GEDCOM file?
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Brett
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Brett,
Thanks for your thoughts. Yes, I'm very aware of the need for privacy in this day and age. I understand your point, that FamilySearch cannot rely on users to remove living people, thus does not display younger people without death dates. But why not just rely on that, and drop the "requirement" to get permission from living people? That's what Ancestry does, I believe.
Back in the day, compilers of genealogy works didn't worry, they just included information on living people in their books. That may have concerned some, even back then. But it's nice that they did, because now we have that additional information. In terms of posterity, it was a good decision.
That's why I would like to keep living people in a Pedigree Resource File, for posterity. Even if they aren't displayed now, hopefully in years to come they will be, since their birth dates will be over 95 years before.
But that brings up another question. Is a PRF a static file, such that if someone is marked as living that never changes? For example: we know that right now, someone born 1930 with no death date will be considered living, so their info will not be displayed. But by 2025, they will pass the 95 year threshold. Would their info in the PRF automatically begin to appear for public viewing? I would hope so...
Ray
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For a different thought. When I find peoples' records and add them to Familysearch, often I do not know whether they are records of dead people or not, especially for distant cousins. I usually check deceased when I enter the record for the first time, and then look around to see if I can find any record that the person is actually deceased. If not, I go back and check that the person is living. I need to be careful and make sure that I remove the deceased indicator as I am sure someone would be surprised to find himself listed as deceased when he was very much alive.
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