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+5 votes
1.6k views
Having read the Terms and Data Policies of Family Echo, I find no answer to the privacy of trees and information within them. Are trees entirely private? Can Family Echo read them and their contents? Are the trees encrypted?

This is a really good site, by far the best family tree site I have been able to find, but as someone who cares greatly about privacy and data security, especially considering the very personal nature and sensitivity of data on a site like this, I would like to know how my data is handled and secured and who has access to it, if anyone other than myself and those I invite.
by Croyfamrelations (170 points)
I'd like to know the answer to this as well!
Could an official answer please be provided? The question has five upvotes, which is a lot for this site, and it's about something that the owners can absolutely answer. The lack of an answer is honestly worrying me a bit, as it suggests the answer may not be very nice to hear.
Sorry, not avoiding the question, it's just that this Q&A is mainly for community discussion and not monitored so closely by Family Echo. But see my answer below.

1 Answer

0 votes
In terms of how the data is stored and accessed, there's a limit to how much technical information that it's appropriate to give on a public forum, because this information could also be used by the wrong type of people.

Nonetheless to answer your question specifically, other than yourself and people you invite, in theory I (Gideon Greenspan) personally could have access to your stored information. In practise I only access a user's information for confirming identity as part of an account recovery process (if someone has forgotten their password and no longer has access to their old email address) or, with a user's specific permission, to debug a technical issue.

The data is stored in the USA at a well-known and reputable hosting provider. In theory someone there could also read your personal information, although this would have to be a direct and deliberate process considering how your information is stored.

Patterns of first names (only) appearing together in family trees are also aggregated statistically and anonymously to provide baby name recommendations on Magic Baby Names (www.magicbabynames.com).

I hope this answers the question?
ago by gidgreen (12.9k points)
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