Another Ancestry Tree question.
 

I have never put any part of my tree on Ancestry but am thinking of entering one section because I have made contact with a relative on there who is asking if they can see my tree. My question is:


How easy is it to make your tree private and only viewable by people you've invited...and how do you do it? I can't seem to find any instructions on the site but I suppose they don't want you to do that really.

Once you've built your tree there will be a tab on a dropdown menu called "Tree Settings" and within that are the privacy options. It's really is to set and no one can see the tree but you or the people you invite. However if someone searches for "Joe from Sussex" the name will pop up on their search (provided he is deceased or over 100 yrs old) with your user name so that they can contact you if they want. Contact is through Ancestry no email addresses involved.

I think that when you create a new tree, it gives you the choice of whether to make it public or private.

If you already have a public tree, this is how to make it private:

When you have your tree open, click on the chevron next to the tree name which gives a menu, and select "Tree Settings". Then select the "Privacy Settings" tab and you will have the option to click a box which says "Private Tree" and there is also the option to "also prevent your tree from being found in the search index".
Note: although your tree will instantly become public or private, it usually takes about a month or more to be reflected in the search index.

Then you can click on the "Sharing" tab and it has a button to "invite people" via their email address or ancestry user name, or you can click to create a "shareable link" that you can send to the person you want to share your tree with.

I knew you clever people would be able to tell me! Thank you. I don't want all and sundry to see what will be quite close family details but I'm satisfied that this person and I share these relatives. I was just a bit worried that, when I clicked on the "create tree" button, it didn't show a privacy setting at the start of the process. I know it can be done because I've contacted the owners of private trees myself.

I would continue to be cautious, however. I have several times released details to people I recognise as close relatives, only to see them swipe and make publicdetails even of living relatives.

You have to regard ANYTHING you put up as in the public domain, no matter how carefully you protect it.

If you tick 'Also prevent your tree from being found in the search index' on the 'privacy settings' then your tree will remain completely private and won't show in any search results.

You make a good point Phoenix. I have thought about this and have decided that, since the people concerned are on other trees on the internet and are no longer with us, it doesn't matter. My concern is that mine and subsequent generations of our family aren't entered onto any public trees....and since I won't be giving away anything about us, that won't be possible.

I've started doing an online tree for my Dad. I didn't put any details for him except a surname, same for his parents then I put in enough details for people to work out the tree but I don't always give exact places just the county. Gives people enough details to work out we match without putting all information online

Living people's details are kept private by ancestry anyway, even in public trees.

Does Ancestry still use the 100 year rule? I've still not put my parents death dates on my Ancestry tree as it felt odd putting their details up for all to see (I don't know why and yes I know people could work it out if they wanted to) But Dad would have been 100 yrs old this year and I'm wondering if his details will become viewable ….

I'm not sure but you can mark people in your tree as "living" even if their dob is more than 100 years ago.

Hmmm, he's still showing as living - I've got his full dob on the tree so I'll have to check the day after his birthday and see if I can make him private or change him to living.

If I remember I'll come back and let you know:D

Not silly at all. I feel funny putting up details of anyone my Dad has talked about over the years even if they died before I was born. I feel like I know them. Someone has my great grandma in their tree, complete with a photo I've never seen, and I was a little miffed at first, she's my relative, not theirs after all. haha I did meet her but she died when I was 1 year old so I have no memory at all only a photo of the occasion.

I probably would not have been so miffed if she had looked as pretty as the photo of her sister the man also posted, which was his direct ancestor. :rolleyes:

My prospective Ancestry tree (I am still blowing hot and cold about doing it) is for my father's family through his father. This grandfather whose name must never be spoken was the reason I began tracing my family in the first place and it was so exciting when I finally found out who he was and where he'd come from. That was over 10 years ago and I have never been able to find any other descendents of my great grandparents...until now when this tree has appeared on Ancestry, entered by the daughter of a first cousin my dad never knew existed. I'm hoping she can answer some questions about the family for me and want to give what I know in return....but I don't want to put Dad on a public tree for all to see, even though relatives from his mother's side have him on theirs ( he would be 111 if he were still alive) since his birth is in the records to be searched for. I don't like seeing him on other people's trees and feel a bit silly about my attitude but as Kit says, he's mine

You can always put his name in as XXX XXX or Private Private or something like that, Ann.

My Dad and Grandad/Grandma are just recorded by their surname, no other details Ann. I did the same for my great grandparents but finally put their names in as it makes it more difficult to be able to contact me if the links are so far back in time.

No they don't because my siblings and I appear on a family tree on Ancestry, admittedly without birth or (thankfully) death dates :rolleyes:, but given the dates for my parents we are likely to still be alive.