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Archiver > ALT-GENEALOGY > 1999-06 > 0928374560


From: Sam Clark <>
Subject: Re: IMPORTANT Dangerous Information! Please Be Careful
Date: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 20:49:20 -0500


Ann,

You said it correctly. We may keep information about our living relatives
(distant and close) in our records, but that sort of information should not be
released without the relatives consent. Any information posted on newsgroups, on
web pages, or even in a book should contain what is considered appropriate (i.e.,
people who are not likely to be hurt by making the information public) and not
everything we know about them. Jess is indeed pointing out a very important issue
which many newbees may not realize. Most people start their genealogy with the
current family living around them and then begin to work backwards. In posting
such information one must be very careful because you do not know who will see it.

Sam

Ann MacKay wrote:

> I think it may be important to note that when dealing with searches for
> living family members, we're dealing with potentially a whole lot more
> than just a friendly genealogical endeavor. I think it is necessary to
> be extremely prudent when giving help and advice in these situations
> because certainly more than one life is being affected. A standard
> genealogical search usually leads to dead relatives. These requests for
> information (like the previous post made on this group today "Please
> help me find my family" made by somebody named Melissa) deals with
> living people. People who may not want to be found. Since we don't
> know the circumstances of the estrangement, I don't think it is our
> place to give direction. I believe there are capable organizations out
> there which assist family members to find each other, particularly if it
> is for medical reasons. These organizations would hopefully assess the
> situation, know the history of the person doing the search and be able
> to care of the situation much better than we can.
>
> So I'm with Jess. I think the most we should be doing to help these
> living searches is to direct the searcher to an organization which will
> perform the search in their area. Let the experts take it from there.
>
> Ann MacKay
> Wolfville, NS
>
> Alvie Davidson wrote:
> >
> > I know we all want to be careful about passing out helpful information but
> > we cannot get to filled with paranoia and just close up all help for all
> > folks and that is where we might go if we begin to scrutinize too carefully.
> > I am a professional genealogist who also works as a private investigator
> > and I am always helping in all aspects of research and investigations.
> >
> > --
> > Alvie L. Davidson
> > Lakeland, FL
> > http://www.concentric.net/~Tracer
> > ICQ 713074

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