Genealogy Chat

Hello everybody - please may I ask for some guidance regarding uploading photographs onto my family tree on Genes or on Ancestry.

In our local cemetary I have found and photographed a few headstones of my ancestors, but whilst they are part of my family, they are more importantly part of somebody else's more direct family who I don't necessarily know. I just wondered if it is considered acceptable for me to upload these photos onto my family tree on Genes and Ancestry without permission from anybody.

The same applies to some family photos we have as well.

Thank you in advance for any help, from Beryl x
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Go ahead no reason why you shouldn't.

Thanks Lindsey.

How recent are the deaths Beryl?

Hi Red Squirrel - thanks for replying.
The deaths are from about the 1850's up until 2000 plus.
Obviously, I wouldn't add recent photographs.
Is there a 'cut off'' date you could suggest, please, so as not to upset anybody.
Thank you, from Beryl x

The gravestones that you took shouldn't be a problem. The people are dead and the photos are your own. As you say the most recent is about 2000, I would think that would be enough passage of time. Although it depends how much the + is in 2000+. I'm assuming less than 12 months or else you would have put 2001.

As for your family photos, one of the rules of GR is that you don't post info of living people. So if they are dead, again a decent passage of time, probably at least 5 years.

The above is my opinion only.

Ozi

Personally, I wouldn't post anything nearly as recent as 2000 - it's not just those who have already passed away that should be considered, it's the remaining relatives too. I would be much more comfortable with headstones I could sincerely consider to be 'historical' - perhaps no later than the 1950's.

For instance, what about a child who died in 2000 aged 4 - I imagine the mother would still be pained to see the image of the headstone widely available on the Internet (and I don't accept the excuse that it's "already in the public domain" in the graveyard - it's also a matter of the ease of accessibility to that information).

Even with older folks, there are still likely to be living relatives - my grandmother had 12 children, eleven of whom survived childhood. There are now three left - and these have lost their partners. They already know what they have lost and don't need 'genealogists' passing information around as if it has little importance.

It amazes me that some people who are interested in family history can have so little regard for current family members.

Only my opinion.

Nobody has "little regard for current family members". That is why Beryl asked, because she does care.

Ozi

I think that the lady is considering uploading pictures for HER family tree.........which is not necessarily a public forum, if it were me. and for my viewing only, I wouldnt have even asked the question

Bob

Personally, I've taken the advice of a relative and fellow genealogist when publishing others details, I'm just annoyed and upset that people haven't been so considerate about my own tree.

Personally I wouldn't post any details of people born within the last 100 years without permission from the family. Remember it could be someone's mum or dad or sibling.

Sorry to disagree with you Lyndsey and Ozzibird.

Possibly one solution for Beryl would be to make sure she has the 'hide living relatives' function switched on, but not to indicate that the recently departed have done so. Then she can upload the photos relatively secure that they won't be seen by people who could be upset or hurt. Personally, I wouldn't risk adding to Ancestry.

2 people in my tree have died in the last 4 weeks. I've noted the details on my off line tree, but not on a public site. Thats an aditional advantage of having one off line.

I would just add that if you upload photos to GR then anyone else who has access to your tree can download copies, at which point you no longer have control over what happens to them.

precisely Peter, that what I was alluding to

if the tree IS private then ok, but if you intend it for public domain, then thats another factor, I would say, dont do it....

Bob

Good evening everybody and sincere thanks to you all for taking the time to reply. I really do appreciate your comments.
I'm always very careful with any information that I put on my tree and only share if I feel it's right, but it was just that sharing of photos with other people who may be related to me but who I don't necessarily know which concerned me. I honestly do care and that's why I asked for some guidance.
Thanks again, from Beryl in snowy Yorkshire! x

It's a hard one Beryl, it's knowing what they would do with the photos and how much you trust them.

By the question, people can tell that you care :))