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Does it violate the terms of Ancestry.com to link to content on Ancestry.com?

jemartin4
jemartin4 ✭
March 24, 2021 in General Questions

I'm told that I shouldn't share a link to a photo on Ancestry.com, a photo that was uploaded by a user. Somehow it violates Ancestry's terms to share a link to anything on Ancestry.com. I'm not sharing a copy of a photo. Even just a link to a photo shouldn't be shared, I'm told.

Is it true? Have others heard this advice about Ancestry's terms?

I often save a link to Newspapers.com as a source in FamilySearch. Ancestry owns Newspapers.com. Should I stop adding sources that link to Newspapers.com?

I don't see how sharing a link can be a problem. I'm sharing it with other Ancestry members, in effect, because someone who isn't an Ancestry member won't be able to open the link.

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Best Answer

  • AndLinda
    AndLinda mod
    April 5, 2021 edited April 5, 2021 Answer ✓

    We do need to be careful about copyright infringement. The best thing to do for a photo is message the person who put the photo in the program and ask them if you can share the photo on other media. You can, however, create a source to public records found on other sites and put them into your database so others can see the records directly. Your example of Newspapers.com is a record others can see when researching if they have a membership to Newspapers.com. If they don't have that membership, then when clicking on the link they won't be able to access the information. In FamilySearch, if you go to a Family History Center, they have a portal with sites that can be accessed only through the center as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have agreements with those sites.

    I hope that this information has been of some help to you.

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Answers

  • Paul W
    Paul W ✭✭✭✭✭
    March 24, 2021 edited March 24, 2021

    I hope you will be provided with the definitive answer to your question, on which I am no expert.

    However, I would point out that posting links is often of no direct use. In the case of ancestry.com links, I have only been able to access a "Home" page when using them. Perhaps this is because I do not have a subscription to the website, but you have to consider many FamilySearch users are in the same position as me, so will find any apparent "direct" link to a specific page / photo of little help.

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