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Archiver > CRAWFORD > 2002-04 > 1019626801


From: "Dave Crawford" <>
Subject: RE: [CRAWFORD] Hiii Strung
Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2002 00:40:59 -0500
In-Reply-To: <1BBCE50B.2320D199.027A707B@aol.com>


#1 I am not the one the virus warning are being attributed to. His
domain is @mindspring, mind is @bellsouth.

#2 They can copyright a collection of information such that you can't
copy it or a portion thereof. However they can't copyright your family
tree. If you compile it from your records, they have no control, even
if they have the same information as part of a copyrighted publication.
I wouldn't even worry about the copyright status.

#3 As for information on living persons: good taste would mean no one
would include information on a living person without that person's
specific permission to include it. LDS and other genealogy databases
requests that information on living persons not be included but I am not
sure how well they can police it. With the volume of data they have
coming in and there being no way they can review all of it, it seems
likely that the wrong information might slip through the cracks
occasionally. Too much info on a living person can be a security threat
or lend itself to identity theft. It is my understanding that the laws
in this area are too vague and too weak to help much (But I am not an
attorney). Privacy laws are needed to protect people from having
information about them accessible without their knowledge and
permission. I am only knowledgeable about medical information which is
undergoing massive scrutiny under federal regulations known as HIPAA.

If I knew of a website having personal information on me, my wife, or my
children, I would immediately request removal of that information. I
would e-mail to them to hopefully achieve a quick response and follow it
up with a certified letter (assuming you can determine their address).
If you have an attorney, have him/her contact them. No one wants to
mess with an attorney. They would figure that it's a lot easier to
remove the information than deal with attorneys.

Good luck,

Dave
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Dave Crawford
PO Box 851
Pensacola, FL 32594-0851

e-mail:


-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:]
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2002 8:18 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [CRAWFORD] Hiii Strung

Hello,
In reference to your family history being posted on the website
I am not attorney.. so do not take this to the "bank" .. however.. as I
do work in broadcasting .. I beleive that there may be ways around
this.. first, if the records are public records (not heresay , or
assumption) they would seem to be available to any and al who want to
present them if they did the research. Secondly, there are public domain
laws. and even people fall into those categories. If you are a high
profile person or your relative is.. you would to some degree fall into
this category.. which is why television, magazines, etc.. can print or
do investigative reporting on a topic with little risk of being sued...
unless the story is proved to be false. in the case of birth and death
records, land, wills, divorce degrees, settlements of estates . etc.
unless the records were ordered sealed by court order, there is little
anyof us , living or dead can do about otherrs using this information.
Personally, while I find it intriguing in genealogy to have so much info
available, I find it reprehensible that all of us are in danger of
having identity theft by criminals, pr stalkers at our doors. Internet
sites that draw maps and list all of your numbers are a public menace in
my opinion.
Anyway.. that is my opinion. based on the outcome of certain broadcast
incidences.. it would be interesting to hear someone else's opinion or a
legal copyright expert. My opinion is that if I creat a page.. I may
copyright that page DESIGN.. but not the content.. if it is public
information.
JJ


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