Genes Reunited: data theft

Post by **AndrewP** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:36 am

On logging into GR, the following pop-up message appeared:

Family Tree Changes
Index
Version number Release date
Version 5 27/03/2007
Version 4 12/2006
Version 3 29/11/2006

So it looks like a new release was made in the last few days. Is this release faulty?

All the best,

AndrewP

Post by **Jean Jeanie** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:46 am

Hi Andrew

To err is human to really cock things up you need a computer

I feel like pulling the plug

Jean

Post by **AndrewP** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:53 am

My GR membership lapsed in the last week or two. I may renew, but not until they make a fix for what looks like a faulty release. Fortunately, only the minimum tree is there in my account (27 out of 1100 people).

All the best,

AndrewP

StewL · Post by **StewL** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:51 am

I am a member of GR until August this year. I haved had some good contacts through the site, and so far no problems with my tree.

Although when they changed/updated the viewer last year it took me until recently to be able to download the necessary flashplayer, and I still have no idea why or why it suddenly popped up asking me if it was ok to instal the thing

Sometimes I wonder with sites that feel the need to continually upgrade things that work well and arent broken.

pinkshoes · Post by **pinkshoes** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:44 pm

In view of all the above I decided to remove all access to my tree till this is sorted - the good contacts I have will come back to me if they notice.

But while I was doing this I had to footer about a bit and noticed that (accidentally) ticking the "share" box automatically generates a message to say you've opened your tree. You tick the box - Whoosh - message sent. No invitation to "send", no intimation that it's been done - I only saw it when I looked in my sent messages. Several people will wonder what I'm up to

Although I've made several good contacts through GR, I don't open my tree (or ask other people to open theirs) until a strong link and some kind of email relationship has been established. I get annoyed at the automatically generated "Let me see your tree" messages that arrive out of the blue - I'm afraid to say I don't even acknowledge them which is not my normal style.

Hope it gets sorted soon, as there are advantages.

Best wishes
Pinkshoes

Post by **emanday** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:20 pm

pinkshoes wrote:....snipped....But while I was doing this I had to footer about a bit and noticed that (accidentally) ticking the "share" box automatically generates a message to say you've opened your tree.

Actually, when I send a message, the "share" box always appears ticked by default. I think GR should change this.

pinkshoes · Post by **pinkshoes** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:21 pm

Yes Mary, the box under the message defaults to "share your tree" - it has to be unticked each time. The response I got from GR when I raised it was along the lines of "what do you expect, GR is about information sharing". Of course it is, but "opting in" is safer than opting out

The thing I'm on about is in the list of shared trees - beside each name is a tick or cross indicating if you can see their tree/they can see yours. When I ticked one that had previously been crossed, a message went zooming to the owner to say my tree was open for them. So some poor soul/s received a random message from me and probably wonder if I've suddenly flipped.

I've received a few strange messages lately - almost like replies to contacts I've made, when I haven't, if you see what I mean. For example, an explanation that Wullie Broon in her tree couldnae be the same as my Wullie Broon which is fair enough except I don't have a Wullie Broon! I sometimes wonder if hotmatches have gone a bit loopy.

My intention is not to knock the website, but I know quite a few TS people use it and may not have noticed these points.

Best wishes
Pinkshoes

Post by **emanday** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:07 pm

I got much the same reply when I asked them about it as well Pinkshoes. A further request, repeated twice, that they might consider changing it resulted in total silence.

annpa · Post by **annpa** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:42 pm

Thanks to Tom, Cathy and Mary for the following which seems to explain the problem.

Tom wrote:
I've been following some of the threads on the GR message boards since they updated the system and something similar has been reported by others. It appears that there is a blip in the system that means when you try to view another persons tree it is your OWN tree that you see by default.

cathy wrote: you are correct about "seeing your own tree".
I have just joined GR, and tried to view the tree of someone who contacted me

emanday wrote: Yes it is your own tree you see by default, even if you have clicked on the "View" by the owner's name in your contact list. Once that opens, you have to click on the box, top right, to select the name of the owner of the tree you want to view. It then accesses that tree.

The strange thing is that this does not happen with me each time I click to view comeone else's tree. It only happens when I click on this particular tree.
I have been back to him to apologise for going off half-cocked and am about to go back to GR. Because this should not happen. If you click on the button to view someone else's tree, you should not be shown your own. in my case, it was my own tree but garbled. but I can see other people's trees perfectly well as soon as I click the "View".

I apologise to TS for my rant, but I will continue it with GR. Thanks to all. If all of us who find this happening would complain to GR, perhaps they would sort out their software.
Cheers
Annpa

annpa · Post by **annpa** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 3:44 pm

by the way, I am still waiting for a reply from GR
annpa