> There is only one possible reason why there may be a problem. In > many cases today where we are trying to call in on credit cards etc. they ask > the maiden name of the mother or some clue like that. A con artist would find > this a great reason to get information through banks etc. Of course there > wouldn't be ANY of our Chases who would possibly do that if our messages to > each other are secure and definitely not available to the outside world. > > Ginger in Az. Dear Chasers, I want to put my two cents in about this whole database thing. I had my gedcom file online as a text file for nearly a year. Then I got an inquisitive email from my aunt asking me why that information was on the web. She was upset, for whatever reason. While it doesn't really bother me that that info is available on the internet, it did bother her, and a few of my other cousins who found my webpage as well. When we are putting info on the internet regarding living people, we should also think about their desires as well. Maybe they don't want anybody to be able to find their birthday and mother's name, or info about their previos marriage(s), or whatnot. I assume that noone is submitting files that contain blatant recent illigitimacies, as that is against the Genealogist's credo (though, personally it doesn't bother me, or most people who are involved in this sort of family, BUT IT COULD...). Anyways, my point is that while this info is in the public domain, it is still subject to the desires of the people in the file. When my cousin wrote me with her concerns, I quickly removed my file from the web, though I haven't yet put up an "expurgated version"... But once the info is on a main database such as ours, it makes it harder to remove bits and pieces. Anyways, that is just my insight on all this stuff. I thought somebody might be interested to hear of it... Sincerely, David Revelle