Findmypast make changes to sharing permissions

Following is the text of an email I received today from Findmypast regarding settings relating to sharing information and photos uploaded by members to their site. What do you think of the changes? A good move or you would rather retain the status quo? Let me know in the Comments Section below.

"Changes to your sharing permissions – act before May 1st

Dear therese,

We’re making changes to our tree settings and privacy policy to support the launch of two new developments. The first is Tree Search: a feature that enables members to search for their deceased ancestors’ information in other members’ trees.

To accommodate Tree Search, the ‘share deceased ancestors’ permission in everyone’s tree settings will expand to include:

• Searching for ancestors in other members’ trees

• Viewing information about deceased ancestors included in other members’ trees

• Viewing other members’ trees (deceased ancestors only).

From May 1st, if the ‘share deceased ancestors’ box in your tree settings is ticked, you will be included in this service – meaning your ancestors’ information will be searchable (when we launch this service) and visible to other Findmypast members. However, no information on living people in your tree will ever be shared, and no other member will be able to edit anything in your tree.

If you do not wish to share your deceased ancestors’ information, you can simply untick this permission in tree settings.

The second feature in development is the sharing of photos attached to deceased ancestors in other members’ trees. We will add a separate privacy setting specifically for media and photos alongside the aforementioned ‘share deceased ancestors’ tick box. This setting will be switched ‘on’ as a default, and no photographs attached to living people in your tree will ever be shared.

However again, if you do not want photos of your deceased ancestors to be seen by other members after 1st May, you can switch it off before then and none of your photographs will ever be shared.

For more information on these new features and how they work, read our Tree Data: Frequently Asked Questions and Photo Privacy: Frequently Asked Questions. In the meantime, you can read our privacy policy, which will be updated to reflect these changes.

Best regards,

The Findmypast team"

Therese

Your Family Genealogist

Picture : Pixabay