FamilySearch Wiki:Privacy Policy

The Privacy Policy of FamilySearch.org Research Wiki
The Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU) has adopted this Privacy Policy to inform individuals of FamilySearch.org's activities with respect to the collection, maintenance, and transfer (collectively referred to as "processing") of Personal Information by GSU. This Policy is provided for persons accessing the FamilySearch.org Research Wiki Internet site, which may collect, store, or process Personal Information which individuals may voluntarily submit in the course of visiting the Internet site. We are sensitive to your privacy when visiting FamilySearch.org.

Our Identity and How to Contact Us
This site is owned and operated by the Genealogical Society of Utah, a nonprofit affiliate of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (hereafter referred to as "the Church"). You can contact us by linking to the Feedback location and leaving a message detailing any questions or concerns.

Personal Information: Collection and Use
'''Personal Information. '''This Internet site collects certain limited Personal Information. Personal Information collected from each site user who contributed or edits information includes name and e-mail address. For purposes of this Policy, "Personal Information" is limited to the data of "living", as distinguished from "deceased" individuals.

Registration. Because this site actively promotes shared information, registration is required to use many of its features and services. To register with the FamilySearch.org Research Wiki Internet site, you must provide certain limited Personal Information. Such information is collected directly from you (or your parent, if you are a minor).

'''Uses of Personal Information. '''Personal Information you may provide is used: (A) to verify your identity when accessing this site; (B) to aid you and other genealogists in the mutual desire to collaborate one with one another, and (C) to inform you about products, services, activities, and other subjects of interest. Collaboration through FamilySearch.org occurs only with the explicit consent of both parties; every effort is made to disallow all unsolicited messages or advertising.

Displaying, Modifying, or Removing Personal Information. When you contribute information to the FamilySearch.org Research Wiki, your name or other Personal Information (including a sign-in name, e-mail address, or additional information as you may elect) will be included as a part of the contribution and made visible through the Wiki. You are able, through a preferences page, to limit the Personal Information displayed to other FamilySearch Research Wiki users. We regard your Personal Information as confidential and do not use it for non-FamilySearch purposes, sell it to other parties, or disclose it to any third-party. Upon written request and if local law so requires, you may be allowed access to your Personal Information collected by the FamilySearch.org Internet site; you may specify that information be corrected, or you may oppose processing of the information. You can correct or remove your Personal Information (or other information you have provided) which is stored on FamilySearch.org Research Wiki by clicking on “My Preferences.” If you encounter problems removing or modifying Personal Information or if any other request to update Personal Information has been submitted, you can contact us at the Feedback location and request assistance.

Information Retention. FamilySearch.org retains Personal Information you may provide only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this Policy. The Church indefinitely retains some information it receives from its members through means other than the FamilySearch.org Research Wiki as part of permanent genealogical, membership, historical, and other records.

Third-Party Data. FamilySearch.org may utilize your contributed data on deceased individuals in collaboration with other organizations (including commercial genealogical organizations) for purposes of establishing a global common pedigree to enhance global genealogical research, aiding collaboration between parties, and allowing all FamilySearch users the opportunity to expand their own ancestral lines. This is done to encourage participation in family history and preserve the records of the world. All data generally accessible through FamilySearch.org, including data received from other entities, will always be fully available without charge to all registered users. When ancestral information is received by FamilySearch.org, collaborative access by other organizations will be subject to the following restrictions: (A) only information on deceased individuals will be accessible, and (B) living information or contributor information will never be provided to any third-party outside of FamilySearch.org. Your FamilySearch Research Wiki username will be associated with, but not included as a part of, any data collaboration. Those who may view your genealogical data through another organization’s Internet site cannot see any information about you or other living individuals. When providing Personal Information about anyone other than yourself, you will obtain the other person’s consent and provide that person access to this Privacy Policy.

'''Correcting Information. '''You and other registered users may add or edit data to any record at any time. Your name is shown as the contributor of that data or opinion.

'''Communication. '''We will occasionally send electronic mail to you to inform you of site changes or additions or of any related products and services. You may opt out from receiving future mailings by using the unsubscribe link listed in the e-mail. Site Activities: Collection and Use of Other Data

'''Cookies. '''In our effort to improve your site experience, we use cookies to provide pages and features that are most compatible with your preferences. A cookie is a small text file that is stored on your browser when you visit an Internet site. A cookie does not identify you personally; it identifies the browser and tracks settings, preferences or features. When you return to the site, your browser sends the cookie to the Web server.

Internet Protocol ("IP") Addresses. When you request pages from this Internet site, our servers may log your IP address in order to improve site administration. This information, along with the other Personal Information listed above, may also be used to produce usage statistics to help FamilySearch.org Internet site administrators to better meet the needs of its users and determine their specific interests. GSU may contract with third-party service providers to track and analyze usage of and statistical information about this Internet site. Service providers do not collect Personal Information from Internet site users, only general summaries of site activities. This information is used only to improve the site’s quality.

'''Protecting Information. '''To protect the confidentiality of any Personal Information received or processed, this Internet site uses technical and organizational measures to protect against the loss, misuse, and unauthorized alteration or disclosure of the information under our control. We cannot guarantee that the information will not be lost or misused, but we make every effort to ensure that it is secured to avoid such problems.

Foreign Transfer of Data
Any Personal Information provided to or processed by this Website may be received or transferred to affiliate entities located in other countries which may have less stringent data protection laws than the country where you reside. FamilySearch.org is operated from the United States. Every attempt is made to comply with local privacy and data transmission laws. However, it is also incumbent upon the FamilySearch users to comply with local regulations regarding online conduct, acceptable content, and interjurisdictional transmission of data. If you choose to submit any Personal Information about yourself or others, you alone are responsible for the consequences of submitting this Personal Information and any incident transfers thereof. In many jurisdictions, informed consent of all data subjects is necessary before transborder transfers are permitted.

Children's Privacy
Children 12 years of age and older may participate in FamilySearch.org, but we will not knowingly collect Personal Information from persons under 18 years of age. We recommend that minor children obtain permission from their parents before sending any information about themselves or others. We advise children under 18 to submit data using a parent's personal account.

Third-Party Links
We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of any third-party sites which may be linked to or from this Website for informational purposes. For your own protection, you should review the policies of linked sites to ensure they meet your personal expectations of privacy.

Privacy Policy Changes
We reserve the right, at our discretion, to change, modify, add, or remove portions of this Privacy Policy at any time. We will notify users the next time they log into the site whenever a change is made.

Effective Date
This version of the Privacy Policy became effective on 29 Jan 2008.

Additional Data Privacy Information
In addition to the Feedback links above, inquiries concerning this Privacy Policy or the security of Personal Information processed by FamilySearch.org may be sent by e-mail to: DataPrivacyOfficer@ldschurch.org.