Terry, I do share much of the sentiment of the others who have responded to your Email. It is discouraging when the info. exchange is one-sided; however, there are some issues of privacy that exist in doing genealogy research on the web. I agree that the circumstances that you mentioned, e.g. stalker, etc. are very remote. It is my understanding that one of the biggest concerns about sharing info about living persons is the threat of "cyber Thieves". There really are people who peruse obituaries and Genealogy forums looking for personal information to identify others. One of the most common "passwords" at banks and brokerages is a person's mother's maiden name. If a thief has stolen important mail (this has happened to me!) and has social security # info, bank acct info and address, etc., they can use the genealogy information to gain more access to an account. I think it is important to respect people's wishes about privacy (as frustrating as that can often be for us) and error on the side of caution if we don't know if that "cousin" wants their identity revealed. Here are a few of ways to deal with reluctant researchers: 1. Ask them if they are more comfortable mailing sensitive data about living individuals through the conventional mail - this keeps the info. off the NET and is significantly more "private". 2. Offer to mail them research data, sending a self-addressed stamped envelope. Some people are more trusting when they know how to find you! And they also feel guilty about not returning a favor. 3. Ask the researcher if they could be a "go-between" and contact that "cousin" to ask permission for you to make contact. I think our goal in those cases is to try to gain a person's trust - maybe over time - so that they will find a way to help us get the information we seek. Thanks for the Discussion! (maybe some time soon we can vent about citing sources!) Rick >TLTURBO@aol.com wrote: > > OK, you have never seen me get upset about anything but I am now. This > subject has come up several times lately so I thought I'd explain my position > on it to all of you. Mainly, to be blunt, the newsgroup sponsor can > establish just about any guidlines for their list. Since I sponsor this > list, here is my guiedline on this subject. > > I have never encountered anyone on this list that has ever refused to provide > another LITTLETON researcher with whatever help they can provide. I am very > proud of all of you for your professional, courtious behavior. But a > situation developed about a month ago that resulted in my being REMOVED from > another surname newsgroup for disagreeing with the phylosophy of that lists > sponsor about divulging information on living people. I am writing this, > because I just found an important link to a LITTLETON line and wrote the > person that provided the info asking for more than the persons name and was > refused the info because the person was still living. This person was NOT a > subscriber to this list. A LITTLETON married into their family line. > > Now this is MY opinion, and therefor that of this list. I feel the world is > entirely too paranoid. Granted, there is the remote possibility that an > enraged, ex-spouse or a stalker MIGHT use a genealogy list to locate a > person, but I feel that possibility is remote. The people I have disagreed > with feel they do not want to be held responsible for giving someone like > this information that could lead to problems. I feel this possibility is > extremely remote and does a great disservice to all genealogists that are > looking for ancestors. > > How many of you have I, or others on this list, put you in touch with other > living cousins that have provided a wealth of info on your family? Quite a > few. What if I had refused to tell you, "OH YEAH, I know where you fathers > missing brother lives but I won't tell you?" Wouldn't you feel very > frustrated? > > I got into an argument with the sponsor of the Lower DL, MD, VA newsgroup > about this subject and she subsequently removed me from the list. Several > other people unsubscribed in my behalf which I greatly appreciated, but I > felt it was totally against the research ideals of all genealogists. After > all, we look to the ends of the earth for information, then are deprived of > vital contacts just because a person we find and want to contact is living? > > In actuality, with this attitude, none of us should be talking to each other > since we are all living. > > OK, now you know how I feel. I want you to know that if will not tolerate > anyone withholding information from another researcher. BUT I will NOT > remove someone for doing that, as everyone has a right to this list unless > they become a trouble maker by flaming, etc. But if this happens to you, > please contact me and if I have the info, you will gladly receive it. > > Thanks for letting me vent and explain my stand on this issue. I understand > it has been tossed around quite a bit in the Genealogy community and opinions > vary. Seems like opinions are strongly one way or the other. > > If anyone has any comments, feel free to make them, but PLEASE, don't let > this deteriorate into an argument. > > ALSO, would someone PLEASE come to SW Florida and take this darn 40 degree > weather away? It's not good for my bananas and papayas. HA HA > > Hope everyone has a great Holiday Season > > Terry Littleton - listdad > > ==== LITTLETON Mailing List ==== > LITTLETON-L@rootsweb.com