RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: LizzieW on Friday 30 March 07 15:51 BST (UK)
-
>:( >:( >:(
I was Googling my g.grandfather's name/possible name and was horrified to find that a Topic I started on Rootschat is showing up on a Google search - and his name wasn't mentioned in the topic title. How did that happen? I thought the topics we posted here were confined to this site, I'm not sure I will be posting again, if anyone can just google a name and find and read the topics without having to confirm their e-mail address with Rootschat.
Has anyone else found this has happened to them.
Liz
-
this has happened to me twice, once with rootschat and isle-of-man.com. Thought it was standard practice. Johnnie
-
hi liz.as you can see on this link it has come up before.
at least if our requests reach a wider audience we might
have a better chance of finding our rellies'.
your email address will not appear.
anne
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,185919.0.html
-
Don't worry too much, everybody's does (not ToTs though). I was a bit shocked to begin with but you get used to it after a while.
Cheers
Gadget :)
-
All Rootschat posts except those on the totally off topic board (not sure about the lighter side) will be found by Google and other search engines. It does mean that others researching the same family can find you - that may be good or bad. It's something that's worth bearing in mind before making a post.
Guests can view the site but only members can post messages.
-
As Bearkat says, anyone can read the messages here - try looking at the board while you are logged out. That's one reason to be careful what you post, and not to use your real name.
(But somehow I don't believe you really are Lizzie Dripping ;D
-
Hi Lizzie...well it has it's pro's and con's. For me it worked as one of my names is rare and through people using google to research we have added 4 extra cousins and families to fill in the gaps.
Tazzie
-
Yes I find things I posted years ago are still found by Google. I have whole trees on Genealogy.com but can't for the life of me remember my user name and password to get in and change them. I am pretty sure my e-mail address has changed a few times since then as well!
-
Gallium
No I'm not really Lizziedripping, but the names we post on here when asking for help are real names, even if the relative is dead, and I know I have never posted the name of anyone living, for instance I will say my aunt, his only surviving granddaughter etc.
I suppose I was just shocked to see something I had written come up on Google. I didn't think I was that naive.
Let's hope that there is a good outcome and someone out in the wide world can give me some help or clues.
Liz
-
Hi All,
I found this too, a while back, - when Googling for some lost cousins.
Should we be worrying about it though?
I'm still not sure...I mean a lot of Banks etc ask for (for example) your Mother's Maiden name, before giving out Account details over the phone. And we're telling (potentially) the world about it all on here!!!
What do other people think??
Romilly.
-
I for one am glad the topics end up on Google - that's how I discovered Rootschat in the first place :D
Gareth
-
I'm still not sure...I mean a lot of Banks etc ask for (for example) your Mother's Maiden name, before giving out Account details over the phone. And we're telling (potentially) the world about it all on here!!!
What do other people think??
Romilly.
I think (and hope) that most people have changed their personal questions from Mother's maiden name to something less obvious.
Gadget
-
I'm still not sure...I mean a lot of Banks etc ask for (for example) your Mother's Maiden name, before giving out Account details over the phone. And we're telling (potentially) the world about it all on here!!!
What do other people think??
Romilly.
I think (and hope) that most people have changed their personal questions from Mother's maiden name to something less obvious.
Gadget
I'd like to think that too Gadget...but I bet that there are a lot of folk who haven't!!! ::) ::)
Romilly.
-
I'm more worried that if I google my name I get the time I took to "run" 4km in 1997 - it doesn't say that I was hampered by my 5 yearold daughter :-[
-
Hi all
It was through Googling and finding me on Rootschat that my half sister found me and she was born and lives in Belguim....so im ok with it.
I thought the whole idea of internet genealogy was to bring it to a wide an audience as possible.
Joe
-
I'm always rather pleased when some of my google searches for unusual ancestor names find my own requests for information, it makes me live in hope that one day someone out there will be able to help me with the one elusive link I'm searching for that links in another 200 years of my family's history.
-
Hi all,
Its the dim one again I haven't got a clue how you do this google genealogy but I would be pleased if someone found my ancestors and got in touch.
Do I just go onto google and type in genealogy or do I need a password.
Think I should change my name fro choco to the dim one
Anyway at least you all get a laugh at my lack of knowledge.
Choco
-
HI All
I have also had a positive experience with the Googling phenomenon.
My mother's cousin "found" me whilst Googling her father's surname & when she saw the message was accompanied by the photo of my mum & their mutual grannie - a photo she recognised from said grannie's parlour - she PM'd me! She had lots of new photos & even a "family register" so I'm made up!
Result ;D
Regards
SandraC
-
Its the dim one again I haven't got a clue how you do this google genealogy but I would be pleased if someone found my ancestors and got in touch.
Do I just go onto google and type in genealogy or do I need a password.
Choco
Just go to www.google.co.uk and type your ancestor's name and perhaps where they lived and see what results come up.
You may get some links to Rootschat, a mention in a document, another researcher or even an entire family tree if you're really lucky.
-
I got so excited when I googled my brickwall of a Ggrandfather...yes, all the family names were mentioned.
Success at last I thought ;D ;D ;D...and then read :'( :'( :'( my own post on RC.
Ambers :)
-
Yes, same thing happened to me, knew Google was a search engine but to find information on my family and my username from RC printed made me realize nothing is secure.
helina
ps
Why bother with usernames/passwords.
-
It's just what I would expect from a search engine.
These forums can be viewed by anyone.
If we don't want the whole world to know our business, then we shouldn't post it on the 'world wide web'.
It's very easy to get carried away, I think, on forums. We must always be careful ~ and be careful on behalf of others, as well.
-
Hi All,
The dim one here. Found the google sight and even found some of my posts.
Thanks
-
Like a few here, I was able to reconnect my family because my posts showed up on Google. My dad's (2nd?) cousin signed up here to contact me. Now my dad has been reunited with his half brothers. I think that's a pretty good thing. 8)
I also had a fantastic result recently, when someone who had googled a surname of mine found my posts and was able to add a whole lot of information to my tree, and me to his. ;D
Nina
-
A lot of us first discovered Rootschat by using a search engine such as Google. The result of this is that we have members all over the world, who we could not possibly have "reached" otherwise.
It is wise to think of the internet as more like talking on the radio than the telephone - we do have "conversations" on the boards, but the audience is not limited to those who post - anyone can see what we type.
Our personal messages (PMs) are not available to the wider world though - just the person you address them to. (Which is just as well, in my case, lol!)
The Mods spend a fair bit of time running around removing details of living people and email addresses. We do aim to protect your personal information, even for those who haven't yet realised why we are doing it!
kind regards, Arranroots ;)
-
Hello to everyone who has replied to this topic.
I hope that my g.grandfather's name now being out on google will bring out of the woodwork someone who will give me the missing link.
Meanwhile, I will remember never to put the name of any living person on the posts - not that I have done so far. The other problem is that as my g.gran was married before she met my g.grandad, I have to be very careful not to mention her maiden, or first married name because that identifies her "other" family and I know they are very protective of their family tree.
Liz
-
From one lizzydripping to another - I got the shock of my life to when I saw my name on google. Was even more shocked when I saw there was two of us on rootschat - could be fun!
I did put stars around my name so I knew it was me, lol
Lizzy :D
-
Well, lizzydripping** , they say we all have doubles somewhere.
helina
-
Like others I had "googled" surnames & found links to Rootschat. Today, having read this thread I "googled" my user name - top of the list was my Rootschat profile, but the other entries were very strange -
ESTree blast output page
CCGB BLAST Report Display
Tomato Expression Database
Now that is making me wonder!
-
mshrmh, just done the same, Why do we have usernames?
helina
-
I subscribe to the BBC message board as well, put my username on google I use for the BBC, nothing. Is the BBC more secure?
helina
-
I'm still not sure...I mean a lot of Banks etc ask for (for example) your Mother's Maiden name, before giving out Account details over the phone. And we're telling (potentially) the world about it all on here!!!
Romilly.
The best way round this is not to use your mother's maiden name but to choose another name and always give that. It puts a quick stop to any illegal transactions because the thief will have done his/her homework and found your mother's real name.
Monica
-
Hi Helina
We have user names to protect our identities (although some people choose things that reveal most of their details, lol!)
I can't say about the BBC site, but usually people aim to have their websites found by search engines such as Google, so Rootschat might be doing a better job?
It is certainly not a question of being secure or otherwise. I hope that reassures you.
;)
-
To my namesake!
I'm surprised I was allowed to use the name Lizziedripping as I see you joined Rootschat before me. If I can, I will change my profile name. As my avatar will stay the same, anyone who needed to pm me, would still recognise me.
Liz
-
I must admit I have used my 'username' on postings and don't give out my name except on PM's.
I didn't really think about mothers's maiden names used by banks, etc. I must look into this and change things!!! :o
If it wasn't for a second cousin of mine 'googling' my relative's name, we wouldn't have been in touch and I wouldn't of received some lovely photos, info, etc.
Like you say, we have to be careful what info we do give out when wanting to find out info, etc.
FEK33 :)
-
I subscribe to the BBC message board as well, put my username on google I use for the BBC, nothing. Is the BBC more secure?
helina
It is not a matter of being more secure it is rather to do with the nature of the boards setup.
The BBC site has gone along the path of a closed board where nothing is allowed out into the world and the only way anyone can find out if a member of the BBC site is carrying out research which may assist them is to join the BBC site. Some sites use this to force membership increases for advertisers (something which I am sure the BBC site is not guilty of)
Rootschat on the other hand is designed as a very slightly more "open" system which allows some viewing facilities to non members (a look but don't touch approach) to ensure that Rootschat and the enquiries of Rootschat members reach as wide an audience as possible.
Through this more open approach many members have been able to further their research and break down troubling brick walls and hopefully this will continue to assist members in their research.
-
I'm still not sure...I mean a lot of Banks etc ask for (for example) your Mother's Maiden name, before giving out Account details over the phone. And we're telling (potentially) the world about it all on here!!!
Romilly.
The best way round this is not to use your mother's maiden name but to choose another name and always give that. It puts a quick stop to any illegal transactions because the thief will have done his/her homework and found your mother's real name.
Monica
I've said this for some time. If your birth is recorded at the FRC, your mother's maiden name is a matter of public record. Most banks I know though ask three questions, which might include mother's maiden name.
-
I heard that banks were now going to start asking questions like what is your favourite book, piece of music etc. as that is something that wouldn't be in the public domain.
Liz
-
I heard that banks were now going to start asking questions like what is your favourite book, piece of music etc. as that is something that wouldn't be in the public domain.
Liz
Oh dear, that'll be no good for me. I won't remember what I said last time!
Monica
-
Oh dear, I certainly will not remember whats answers T gave last time!!
I had to put in my password to access boardband the other day, panic, I had several to different sites etc that I hoped I had not changed that password, gladly no so everything was OK.
helina
-
To my namesake!
I'm surprised I was allowed to use the name Lizziedripping as I see you joined Rootschat before me. If I can, I will change my profile name. As my avatar will stay the same, anyone who needed to pm me, would still recognise me.
Liz
The names '**lizziedripping**' and 'lizziedripping' look much the same to us - but to a computer they are as different as 'chalk' and 'cheese' ;)
JAP
-
I misread the posting from **lizziedripping**, I thought she meant she had only just put the *s around her name, but obviously not.
I am still trying to think of another name for myself, it will probably be ..... latterly lizziedripping for a while, then I'll drop the latterly.
Liz
-
Won't a google search still find it though, as it will still contain lizziedripping? Suggestion coming by pm.
-
Got your pms as you know. You're probably right about google, but I was only going to change the name because there are 2 of us and I'm sure **lizziedripping** would like to be unique too!
Liz
-
I'm surprised I was allowed to use the name Lizziedripping as I see you joined Rootschat before me.
One of you is lizziedripping and the other is/was lizzydripping,
and as JAP says:
[they] look much the same to us - but to a computer they are as different as 'chalk' and 'cheese' ;)
so for a computer, you are both "unique" :) :) :)
Bob
-
Just to point out part of the Terms and conditions you agree to when joining...
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/terms.php
say...
The messages express the views of the author, not necessarily the views of RootsChat. Messages posted publicly, and profiles will be viewable by search engines. Anyone who feels that a posted message is objectionable is encouraged to notify a RootsChat moderator or the administrator immediately.
So as a few of you have rightly pointed out living relatives or even the recently deceased should never be detailed on a post.
My rule is if I wouldn't want it on the side of a bus driving the length of the country - don't post it!
Coupled with, would who I'm talking about want it on the side of a bus!
-
Berlin-Bob
Yes, to a computer the names are totally different, but to humans they sound the same and at a quick glance look the same. I will change my Rootschat name when I can think of a suitable one!
Liz
-
I found my email address on google too
-
I found my email address on google too
GrumpyBlondie
That can't be anything to do with Rootschat, as e-mails are not shown anywhere.
Liz
-
I have posted so many messages looking for rellies that I have come to expect it when I google stuff ! The first time I noticed it was a shock because I thought I had found someone else looking for the same rellies, imagine my face when I realised it was myself ! incidentally - wonder how many of these messages for this topic will end up on googley ! every little helps !
-
I hadn't thought that my e-mail address would get on to Google. No wonder spam merchants are so active.
Liz
-
A cousin found me on Rootschat by entering our mutual ancestor's name into Google! We're both very happy he did because he isn't on any genealogy websites.
I wouldn't have found this cousin because he is descended from my 3rd-g-grandmother's older sister and I didn't know what had happened to her after the 1841 census. I still can't find a marriage for her, so I never would have figured it out on my own. I imagine she and her husband were married in a synagogue and, if their marriage was registered with the government, I don't know what happened to it.
Having said that, I, too, was surprised the first time my Rootschat posts come up as a result of a Google search.
Regards,
Josephine
-
A relative found one of my RootsChat posts after googling her Great Grandma's name. We have been in touch, photographs and stories exchanged and we are meeting up soon.
I now believe she is now a member of RootsChat too!!!
FEK33 :D
-
I do a fair bit of googling, and I am pleased that discussions here are googleable.
I can remember trying so hard at first to get my own website seen by google!
Bob
-
Come to think of it, I think I first found Rootschat by Googling!
I would be pleased if anyone found a post of mine here via a search engine.
-
Unless Martians or men from the moon (Moonians?) google, I don't think anyone will come forward with information about my g.grandfather.
Liz
-
The only thing thats winds me up a bit about this is when I periodically google search my ancestors, think I've found a new hit then realise it's my own query back on here!!
Hopes raised and dashed in a few clicks.
AAARRRGGGHHH
Chris
(Trying to find the time to spend a whole week holed-up at the LMA)
-
That's how I find myself! It is such a large brick wall I have, that I was over the moon when I thought I had a hit, then realised it was my own query.
Liz
-
The only thing thats winds me up a bit about this is when I periodically google search my ancestors, think I've found a new hit then realize it's my own query back on here!!
Hopes raised and dashed in a few clicks.
AAARRRGGGHHH
Chris(Trying to find the time to spend a whole week holed-up at the LMA)
I know that feeling to well, the other side of things is recently i wrote to an Irish paper, I googled my 3x grt grandparents and there they were, also some one on roots had seen my article in the paper, and left me a message to say i had put my article in a paper less likely to get any replies, sorted now think i have it in right papers now,
and that it also how i found all these lovely people here on rootschat
-
Hi All...
I too, found this site by googling . The best thing that ever happened to me....without rootschat, I don't think I would ever have got going with my Hughes family .....
Also, last year, I met my mothers cousin, and was contacted by other members of the Hughes and Howarth family, all because one of them "googled" a unusual family name , and came up with one of my topics......Fantastic !
My Liverpool Hughes, lost touch with my family in Leeds, during the May blitz, on Liverpool . I am now able to put names to faces on photographs I have possessed for years.
And dare I say it......Liverpool Annie turns out to be a cousin !!
JeannieR
-
I was quite suprised, when doing a Google place search, that there was a link to all my postings on RootsChat.
I could understand if it was just a link to my Rootschat query on this particular place, but could not understand why it showed all my subjects + answers to others.
Is this usual?
Jo
-
Congratulations Jo - you're famous!
RonnieG
-
It doesn't particularly surprise me - but I don't see any standard info in your posts footer, because that sometimes is the cause of what you report.
Also a factor will be what you include (or someone else has included) in the post title.
Anyway, congratulations on your new found fame ;)
JULIAN
-
Famous or Infamous?
Julian, what does 'standard info on my posts footer' mean?
Jo
-
Hi Jorog,
Welcome to RootsChat :) :)
What Julian means is what is also called the "signature".
Click on your name in any post (or the "profile" button at the top of the page)
and then click on RootsChat Profile Information
Amongst other things, you will see a box Research names or areas:
Anything you enter here will automatically be included at the bottom of every post you make.
Check out some of the other posts for examples.
Enjoy RootsChat :)
Bob
-
I looked at the names at the bottom of your message and noticed you are reseaching Coleman or Irland. So am I. Mine is Ellen Coleman c 1843 married Richard Watts in Fermoy County Cork Ireland in 1860. They were both from the Fermoy area. The marriage certificate states her father was John Coleman.
Is there a link may be?
-
Hi Grumpyblondie,
my Colemans in Ireland go back as far as Warren Coleman (1857-1915) and his father James, who married a Miss Warren. Don't know where, but I suspect Antrim.
More on my website:
http://www.margulies-chronicles.com/ag/_ferrie/fam-ferr-tree-ag.php?output=0 and
http://www.margulies-chronicles.com/ag/_ferrie/fam-ferr-stevco.php
I doubt if there is a link, but PM me if you think there is (or may be) :)
Bob