Hi Billy, thanks for your kind comments. Here's Ancestry's statement, very different: http://www.myfamilyinc.com/default.aspx?html=copyright It says: Content which has been contributed to public areas of the MyFamily.com, Inc. sites by users remain the property of the submitter or the original creator and we are a licensed distributor of such content. Occasionally, a person may feel that content submitted by a user is their property or is covered by the copyright of someone other than the submitter. Please remember that we are the distributor of user supplied content and the submitter, not MyFamily.com, Inc., is the one who has violated copyright if such a violation has occurred. However, we will respond to substantiated claims of violation. " So! People uploading family trees to Ancestry's One World Tree project retain all ownership. Seems a lot better to me though... I suspect that the two might, after a 2 year court trial -- end up being the same, because Ancestry doesn't say much about what it 'does' with your stuff. But hey, their statement is simple at least! Linda Merle ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: "William Stranney" <billy.stranney@btinternet.com> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2006 23:13:41 -0000 >Linda, > >I am a regular reader of emails on your list. I have often read your views >and comments. As a result, I have huge respect for your views. I also know >enough about legal issues to know that I may be wrong to be concerned here. >The discussion that I referred to in my first email did not, unfortunately >result in this issue being clarified in any way. Based on that discussion >there did seem to be a problem. Genes Reunited themselves, unusually, did >not join in the discussion to state their case. They were completely silent >on the matter. Here is the 'contentious' part of the Genes Renuited Terms >and Conditions: > >"16. Intellectual Property. You acknowledge that all copyright, trade marks, >and other intellectual property rights in and relating to the Genes Reunited >Service (including the material which is contributed by Members) are owned >by Genes Reunited. It is easy to copy material which appears on web-sites, >but this does not mean it is legal. Therefore, no-one may copy, distribute, >show in public or create any derivative work from the Genes Reunited >Service, or any of the material which is found on the Genes Reunited Service >unless properly licensed to do so by us. > >By submitting any material to the content to the Genes Reunited Service, >you: > >are representing that you are fully entitled to do so; >grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, non-terminable licence to copy, >modify, distribute, show in public and create derivative works from that >material in any form, anywhere; and authorise us to adapt the relevant >material in the course of doing so, and so waive your moral rights to object >to any derogatory treatment, or to be identified as the author, of the >material in question. " >END OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS. > >I do not like the content or tone of these 'Terms and Conditions'. I wonder, >also, are conditions like these 'hidden' in the small print of other similar >websites? > >There must be a wee bit of Scotch-Irish in me as I think this is an issue >such folk would not want to ignore! My mother was a Non-Subscribing >Presbyterian. My father is an old-fashioned (thrawn, that is) Catholic >(Roman Catholic). > >Billy. > > > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Linda Merle" <merle@mail.fea.net> >To: <Scotch-Irish-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 10:07 PM >Subject: Re: [Sc-Ir] A free on line resource > > >> Hi Billy, I seem to believe that Rootsweb's policy is you own your stuff >(ie I own this post!) which is one way to avoid being sued for character >defamation by irate UK citizens (harder to sue in the USA <grin>) or for >breaking copyright laws. I'll check Ancestry. that's a good point, though. >THough, according to my thick genealogy bible here, the only parts of one's >published genealogy that is copywritable is any analysis you do. The stuff >we scraped off of anonymous websites (where space aliens posted it as a >joke) and extract from birth certificates, wills, will abstracts, bibles, >etc -- that stuff cannot be copyrighted. >> >> Linda Merle >> ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- >> From: "William Stranney" <billy.stranney@btinternet.com> >> Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2006 21:14:11 -0000 >> >> >Linda, >> > >> >Before you upload your family tree to Genes Reunited, make sure you read >> >their small print. A few weeks ago on one of my lists (I can't remember >> >which - it might have been the Guild of One Name Studies - GOONS), >anyway, >> >there was a spate of emails discussing and expressing concern about the >> >issue as to who owns the data you upload to their site. From what Genes >> >Reunited say on their website (in their small print section - the rules >> >etc.), it seems clear they feel they own any data you upload and can do >what >> >they wish with it. I use the site and am a paid up member, but I have >only >> >uploaded a partial family tree. >> > >> >It is possible that this is the case with many other similar websites too >> >and that it is unfair to only highlight Genes Reunited. >> > >> > >> >Billy. >> > >> > >> >----- Original Message ----- >> >From: "Linda Merle" <merle@mail.fea.net> >> >To: <Scotch-Irish-L@rootsweb.com> >> >Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006 7:35 PM >> >Subject: [Sc-Ir] A free on line resource >> > >> > >> >> >> >> Hi folks, I get these reminder emails from various places I've >forgotten >> >about (so I apparently need these reminders). Today I got one from Genes >> >Reunited, a UK/Ireland Aussie genealogy website. They want you to upgrade >to >> >their paid version of course. I haven't yet, but I did a free search and >> >found a number of people looking for family in my dad's area of England. >I'm >> >definitely uploading my tree. Might work for some of the rest of you too! >> >> >> >> Linda Merle >> >> ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- >> >> From: Genes Reunited <noreply@genesreunited.co.uk> >> >> Date: Tue, 07 Feb 2006 03:09:41 -0000 >> >> >> >> Hello Linda, >> >> >> >> Today's site statistics: >> >> 54,862,502 relations on Genes Reunited >> >> >> >> http://www.genesreunited.com.au >> >> >> >> This email is being sent to you because you have chosen the option in >Your >> >Details. To unsubscribe to this option, visit www.genesreunited.com and >> >change your options in Your Details. >> >> >> >> If you have any questions please visit our FAQ section >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ________________________________________________________________ >> >> Sent via the WebMail system at mail.fea.net >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > >> > >> >> >> >> >> >> ________________________________________________________________ >> Sent via the WebMail system at mail.fea.net >> >> >> >> >> > > ________________________________________________________________ Sent via the WebMail system at mail.fea.net