Turning off discovery messages

LegacyUser

Jeff Felix said: Periodically I'm getting "Discovery" Messages. Since none of these are much interest to me (the same thing is already listed in the sign on page, for example), it would be nice to disable this "feature". Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any way to do this. I still want messages from other users, just not these "Discovery" messages.

LegacyUser

Gordon Collett said: Have you tried going to your account settings by clicking on your name in the upper right corner, going to Notifications and turning off "My Ancestors"?



It seems like that might turn off the Discovery messages. Maybe that just turns off getting e-mails about the messages.

LegacyUser

joe martel said: Or, if it's coming via email there is always and "Unsubscribe" at the bottom of the message

LegacyUser

m said: I have My Ancestors turned off and I received a Discovery Message on 7 Nov 2019.

(And that is after making a thread to get the Discovery Messages turned off.)

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: I have the Delivery Option turned off, but that impacts only the emails. It does not stop the messages from showing up

The Discoveries messages started showing up with the World War II Enlistment Record message delivered on 7 November 2019.

As far as I know, there is no means to turn these off, not like the emails.

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: That page only covers email deliveries, Gordon.

On that same page, there is also the ability to receive collaboration messages through Facebook Messenger as well as a text message via a mobile phone.

But nothing for the internal FamilySearch messaging system.

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: There needs to be a method to turn these off.

LegacyUser

Brett said: Joe

It looks like that just takes one to "Notifications" is one's "Settings".

Certainly, NOT a true "Unsubscribe".

Email



Unsubscribe



Where, the links are as follows:

'Button' = [ Notification Settings ]
https://www.familysearch.org/auth/fam...

'Words" = Unsubscribe from All
https://www.familysearch.org/auth/fam...

Note how they are BOTH the same.

SO, as far as I can see, it appears that there is NO way to "Unsubscribe" from receiving 'Messages' in the "Discovery" Category of "User Messaging" in "FamilySearch" that relate to "Campaigns".

Whereas, "E-mails", maybe.

Brett

LegacyUser

m said: Yes, there needs to be a way to turn off Discovery Messages.

They are unwanted-time-wasters aka "Spam."

LegacyUser

Brett said: m

I assume that you are talking about the "Discovery" 'Messages' in the "Discovery" Category of "User Messaging" of "FamilySearch"; because, as far as I am aware we can turn the "Discovery" E-mails "Off" by unchecking/unticking the "My Ancestors" (ie. Personalized campaigns and search results about your ancestors.) in "E-mail" option of "Notifications" in our "Settings".

To (some) experienced User/Patrons the "Discovery" 'Messages' (in the "Discovery" Category of "User Messaging") may seem like 'unwanted-time-wasters'; but, that is not the case for, new; or, novice; or, occasional, Users/Patrons.

I agree that Users/Patrons NEED a way to turn "Off" the "Discovery" 'Messages' in the "Discovery" Category of "User Messaging", if they so desire ...

But, they are NOT "Spam".

The "Discovery" 'Messages', either, in the "Discovery" Category of "User Messaging"; or, by direct E-mail, are about "Participation" of the less active Users/Patrons of "Family Tree" of "FamilySearch" to actually engage more in "Family Tree" of "FamilySearch".

I, regularly participate in; and,am relatively experience in, "Family Tree" of "FamilySearch"; and, I sometimes find the "Discovery" 'Messages', either, in the "Discovery" Category of "User Messaging"; or, by direct E-mail, quite helpful.

For now, until a successful solution is devised/implemented to turn "Off" the "Discovery" 'Messages' in the "Discovery" Category of "User Messaging" of "FamilySearch", if you do not appreciate the "Discovery" 'Messages'; then, very simple, ignore them and delete them.

Brett

LegacyUser

m said: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dicti...

Definition of spam

(Entry 1 of 3)
: unsolicited usually commercial messages (such as e-mails, text messages, or Internet postings) sent to a large number of recipients or posted in a large number of places

LegacyUser

Brett said: m

Personally, I do not really care for the definition of "Spam" - especially, with read to this context.

Please, lets not go there; or, get into such a discussion.

The "Discovery" 'Messages' in the "Discovery" Category of "User Messaging" of "FamilySearch" are about the engagement of the less active Users/Patrons of "Family Tree" of "FamilySearch" to get them to participate more frequently.

I am certain that "FamilySearch" is NOW aware of the fact that there is NO way to turn "Off" the "Discovery" 'Messages' in the "Discovery" Category of "User Messaging", if one so desires. (Hence, my response to 'Joe'.)

Lets give "FamilySearch" some time to address/fix that.

As an interim measure, until a successful solution is devised/implemented to turn "Off" the "Discovery" 'Messages' in the "Discovery" Category of "User Messaging" of "FamilySearch", simple, ignore them and delete them.

It is NOT as if the "Discovery" 'Messages' in the "Discovery" Category of "User Messaging" are ANYTHING like the "SPAM" in direct E-mails.

If the matter is NOT addressed/fixed in a reasonable time frame; then, we can start to "Raise" the "Level" of the matter.

Brett

LegacyUser

m said: We had brought this to the attention of FS months ago and Discovery Messages were turned off...until this week when I got spammed by 2 Discovery messages within a few days.

Discovery Messages must have been turned off and turned on (for people like me who have unchecked My Ancestors).

FS just needs to turn them off again.

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: Months ago, the messages were being sent via email. I remember raising the issue with respect to spam, when a person turns off the notification, the organization/site must comply (at least in the United States) or run the risk of not obeying the anti-SPAM act that was passed a number of years ago.

The current crop of messages are not being sent through email. so the spam issue technically does not exist.

However, if FamilySearch was truly interested in meeting the needs and preferences of those who use the site, then they would provide a method to turn the messages off.

LegacyUser

Jeff Wiseman said: 9 months ago, FS employee Tim Cross responded to my last reply in the thread at

https://getsatisfaction.com/familysea...

Among other things he stated:

We are planning to provide the ability to not receive Discovery, FamilySearch, or Temple messages from the messaging page itself. We are not allowing patrons to not receive Conversation messages from the messaging page. (Sorry for the double negative.)

and

The adjustments on the messaging page should come in the near future. Revamping the Settings Notifications page is a little more involved and will take a little longer but is a high priority that we are working on

So they were ALREADY working on this 9 months ago, and at that time it was considered HIGH PRIORITY.

So what happened?

LegacyUser

Tom Huber said: The discoveries section has just become a major distraction. I didn't mind the "WWII Enlistment Record" that came on the 7th, or even the "Celebrating the First 125 Years of Family Discovery" that came on the 11th, but today (the 20th), I got a "Record Hint" "discovery".

Long ago I turned off (collapsed) "Recommended Tasks" on my home page because I found them to be distracting.

Now I'm getting hints that I cannot turn off in Discovery Messages. STOP IT! STOP THE MADNESS, FAMILY SEARCH!

I looked at a couple, and if I pursued the hints, it would take me a considerable amount of time to look at all of the relatives involved and I would have lost my purpose for using FamilySearch this morning. I am researching others, and do not want to be taken away from that.

Now FamilySearch has managed to sidestep around the "My Ancestors - Personalized campaigns and search results about your ancestors." opt out in Notifications.

Again, Family Search!!! STOP THE MADNESS and at the very least, HONOR THE OPT OUT in NOTIFICATIONS!

LegacyUser

H Dennis Abeln said: I have 'My Ancestors' unchecked and am still see Discovery Messages appear in my FS account. I would strongly prefer to be able to disable Discovery messages, They're being sent for silly things like an old ancestor's birthday.

LegacyUser

m said: I have My Ancestors turned off and I received 2 Discovery Messages on 4 Dec 2019.

Please turn the spam spigot off.

LegacyUser

Juli said: Once again, I got the little red dot in the corner. I was momentarily excited: had somebody replied to a message, or found something new? Unfortunately, no. It turned out to be yet more "discovery" JUNK.

PLEASE let us turn off ALL notifications about this UTTER RUBBISH.

PLEASE.