How cross would you be, or am I over reacting?

[lesleyhannah]

The reply I got I would almost describe as Ancestry spam,

You've made me think. When I found my tree (complete with a branch I'd added by mistake) on a public site I knew it was the result of opening it to a GR contact, and was angry because she'd copied all the research I'd done on inlaws and children's partners, which couldn't possibly be of interest to her. It had never occurred to me that this could be a marketing tactic by one of the genealogy sites.

Well, we live and learn!

[royd]

I help out a bit on GR - as and when I have time - and I never cease to be amazed at the number of new folk who want to share trees!  For some reason, because I have replied, they seem to think we are related 

However, on the original note, when I have opened my tree for someone who has mutual relatives on it, I really don't mind what they copy because if I can find those details, so can anyone if they have a mind to. There's nothing ultra personal on it.  The fact that granddad Daniel was a naughty old so and so is best left for my FTM   

Mind you, by copying what's on a tree I do feel they miss out on the fun of searching for oneself 


As for large tree numbers - well, some folk are just plain greedy

[lesleyhannah]

because if I can find those details, so can anyone if they have a mind to.

Well, you could argue that 'finding those details' has cost me many hundreds of pounds over the years (I'm discounting the time taken as that was enjoyment) - in certificates and other documents, in travel and in employing researchers. I'm VERY happy to share all of this with others researching the same family, but I do feel resentful that someone took all my research, published it online, and in return provided absolutely no evidence that they had even the remotest connection to my family.

[royd]

Point taken 

I have been very lucky on two main branches of my tree because I was forwarded very helpful info.  I have bought some certs but cannot afford as many as I would like.  Much has been gained from online sites, the kindness of others and hard graft.  I know someone has my family on Ancestry but haven't a clue where else it is online.   

[Erato]

Yawn.  Same old, same old.  Over and over again people put their genealogical data out in public and then complain that it has been taken and used in some way they don't like.  To console themselves, they then dismiss the thieves as mere "name collectors" who have missed out on the real rewards of research.

This comes so often that RC should have a board specifically dedicated to the topic.

[SharonK]

Sorry to rattle your cage Erato...I don't get on here as much as I used to so haven't seen any previous discussions. The point I made was that my info WAS private( not as you said

people put their genealogical data out in public

)and I shared it in good faith only to find it replicated elsewhere on a public tree without any sort of permission or discussion with me. I understand that info is taken from public trees but those people have CHOSEN to make their tree public. I often give tree access to found 'relatives' but the overwhelming majority are very appreciative and ask before they extract info and don't just copy everything and never ever make contact again, which is what this lady has done. And I am not "consoling myself" - I genuinely don't understand the need to put a TOTALLY irrelevant branch onto their tree just for the sake of it. She is related to me via my paternal grandfather and she has put my whole paternal grandmothers line on too!

[Gadget]

I have to agree with Erato on this 

Private or public, once your information is passed on, there is little that you can do about other people putting it up on the web. We can ask for it to be kept private but that's all we can do.

We can only hope that people to whom we do give information  privately behave ethically by not putting names of living people on their trees but, if you pass on the information, then it's already in the semi-public arena.

All you can do is ask for information about living relatives to be removed. If they don't, you don't pass on this information again and learn that this is the wicked world 


Gadget

[SharonK]

Yes well I am learning that there are some less genuine people out there so I will have to be more careful in future but isn't that a shame that it makes you more wary and less able to trust people. Same as a lot of things...the minority spoil it for the majority.

[Gadget]

It happened to me about 7 years ago. I was horrified but then sent a firm e-mail to the cousin in-law and asked for the details of living members and my parents be removed.

Luckily, my e-mail was firm enough to get the response that I wished for.

I've never passed on such information since.

added - the only person that I share a tree with is my sister. After that, my tree is shared with more and more cousins. It's nice to think that it's my tree,  as I've done a lot of work and spent a lot of money working it out, but it's not. It belongs to all the descendants of my ancestors.



Gadget