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Archiver > QUEBEC-RESEARCH > 2003-01 > 1041566988


From: "Gary Boivin" <>
Subject: [Q-R] Re: Look ups.
Date: Thu, 2 Jan 2003 21:13:11 -0700
References: <24918-3E14DAFA-1386@storefull-2198.public.lawson.webtv.net>


My understanding of the law as was explained to us when I took a genealogy
research course in college. If you have found the information in a reference
book or list anywhere then it is legal to publish as it is already published
in the source that you found it. Just be sure to note the source.

You must remember that parents out there proudly buy newspaper space
advertising the birth of their latest child or announcing their marriage
engagements. In many American towns and cities I can walk into a Court House
and find personal information as little as 6 months old --- according to the
law... If it is available for public scrutiny in a government office then it
is available to anyone.

Personally... I don't believe that I have the right or duty to put a child
at risk. I will release data on adults as long as it doesn't affect a child.
BTW... a child's birth date will not affect a child but the child's address
or school or social activities will... So I will never release that
information on a child or his/her parents (even if the parents were foolish
enough to publish the data themselves).

I worked as a skip tracer in the early 1970's and I know how easy it was to
find info on someone then... In the days before computers... It isn't much
easier or harder today... Just different methods.

Some people advise using a 100 year span. The Canadian government uses the
92 year figure. the US government uses a 72 year figure. I personally like
the US time span --- but that is only for personal data that identifies a
persons address, hobbies, or social standing. Birth and marriage dates I
always include (not the sources though).

Like Jeanne on the QUEBEC-RESEARCH list said. Go to www.google.com and type
in your commonly used name within brackets ( like this "Gary Boivin" ) and
see what comes up. You may be surprized at how much is out there. Google
found 4 pages on my name.

I have a program that I used to use to search for data on the internet when
I worked as a consultant. It goes out and systematically roots through any
servers or computers hooked onto the net looking for any data that I ask it
to. I tried it today with my name when I first saw the posting. It is still
working out there and has sent me more than 170 pages of sites where the
name "Gary Boivin" can be found. And there's more results coming in every
few minutes.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas A. Henault Sr." <>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 5:36 PM
Subject: [METISGEN-L] Look ups.


> I am looking for some guidance on posting look ups,
> when i send them to the list, they are just as they are in the books,
> misspellings, typo"s, and so on. what i would like to know is ~ what
> would be an acceptable cut off date for people who we have no idea, if
> they are living or not, is there a standard that i could follow? I don"t
> want to violate any ones privacy, or any other rights. I would
> appreciate all the advice that i can get! is there a way to list
> children if they are beyond the accepted cut off date? maybe just first
> names, and then ~ Living, is that what i should do?
>
> Peace Tommy
>


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