How do I.............

[BordersCrafter]

...........make someone's details show as "Private" on my Ancestry tree?   

[jess5athome]

Hi, as far as I am aware if you add someone to your tree and check the box to show they are still living then the details are automaticly shown as "Private" by the Ancestry software.

[BordersCrafter]

Thanks - I thought that, but wasn't sure, and having read somewhere else on here the dangers of putting living relatives' information online I was worried.

[jess5athome]

No worries, is your tree "public" or is it a "private/personal" tree?.

[BordersCrafter]

It's a public tree - I thought it was better that way, as more people can see it and possibly contribute?

[jess5athome]

True, I just asked because if you wanted I would check your tree to see if it shows someone as "Private" when you update it, just give me the tree name or "PM" me the name of it. I understand if you did not want to do that, as I say the Ancestry software should do it automatically.

[NDRFT]

Hi
A while ago I asked Ancestry about this. If you set your tree as PRIVATE no one can see it without they first ask you and then you allow them. My tree is private, I was asked by a family if he could view it, I allowed it, he promptly 'raped' my tree, added the info to his own and then set his as public, so all my work until that time is now public!!!

 Very difficult to control any of this is my point here.

Now if we all kept our trees private we would never be able to share and learn. There are many articles /threads on here about that matter including one from me where I got fed up with people taking info from my tree (when it was public) and not telling /answering when I asked them how they are related - which is why i eventually set it to private in the first place.

So much information is available  in the public domain it is EASY to track / find someone now a days anyway.

If you enter a person on Ancestry and do not enter a date of death then the Ancestry software will automatically calculate the 'age' of that person and if he /she is under 100 yrs of age that person will not be visible regardless of whether your tree is public or not.

But be careful, when entering people you must also check the appropriate box  - living or dead - so it is even possible for someone born say in 1800 to be entered and shown as living i.e hidden, private-  if you do not enter the initial data correctly and then the software takes over.

Hope this helps in some way

[BordersCrafter]

Thanks for that information.  I agree, it is very difficult to keep things private, especially if you want to be able to share information. It's a fine line to walk.  If I want to add information from someone's tree, I first of all ask if they would mind, and state how that person fits into my family. 

It is sad, but nowadays it is very difficult to trust anyone.