Database errors project - open profiles

+21 votes
677 views
The database errors project has identified literally thousands of profiles that are over 200 years old, and need their privacy opened.  Some profile managers are responding quickly, but many of these profile managers haven't been active in a long time.

After giving them a reasonable amount of time to respond, what will be the best way to handle so many open profile requests?  I doubt that Paul wants to be inundated with thousands of them.
in The Tree House by Nan Starjak G2G6 Pilot (378k points)
retagged by Dorothy Barry

3 Answers

+14 votes
 
Best answer
It is fairly easy for me to do a bulk change on Profiles for any given manager. Just send an Open Profile Request form. If you are aware of multiple profiles of that manager that need opening just add a note for me to look for them (and do a bulk change). Profiles over 200 years old MUST be open, so there is no need to attempt to contact the profile manager first if they are of just one manager (although it is probable polite to send a message to the manager first).

I regularly make bulk changes, often as the result of Open Profile Requests.

Where there is a problem is in identifying profiles that should be open but are part of a long string of profiles without dates that I might not readily identify as needing to be open.
by Paul Bech G2G6 Mach 7 (79.5k points)
selected by Nan Starjak
Thank you, Paul.  When I first saw the numbers on the profiles that should be open, I was concerned about making all those reports.

To the project:  I think we should still contact the PM first, and give them a chance to make the change.  For one thing, it's really their responsibility.  And my experience is that, while a majority won't -- either they don't care or they're long gone -- quite a few will make the change.  I've received a number of "thank-you" messages for bringing it to their attention.
I fully agree. It is only polite to take the time to make a personal approach first. At the core of how WIkiTree works is that WikiTree members try to resolve problems between themselves and/or with the help of other WikiTreers, before turning to the "official" channels.

I have also had quite a few "thank-you's" for pointing out various inconsistencies. Most people are simply unaware, and a friendly message can pay off big time in making people feel part of a community.
+9 votes
I agree it is not best for Paul to have to deal with all of them but the Open Profile Request is still the best way to handle this if the manager will not take care of the problem.
by Dale Byers G2G Astronaut (1.7m points)
Normally, it is.  But this wouldn't be a normal number of requests.  I'm hoping Paul, Chris, et al will give us some guidance on how they want to do this.
When everything that can be is corrected, maybe Paul should go through the error list and open all the profiles.
That should work.  I'm leaving messages on the profiles in most cases, so it's easy to see if the PM has had a reasonable length of time to respond.
What counts as a 'reasonable length of time'?  Are we talking 30 days here?

This is the answer to the time to respond

http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unresponsive_Profile_Managers

I've started using the Open Profile request function.
Since there hasn't been any guidance forthcoming from the leaders, I'll be using the Open Profile request after 30 days.
Ok, I was under the impression this sent a message to the PM. I don't want to inundate Paul with all the requests...
No, the Open Profile Request goes to Paul.  That's for use after contacting the PM, and the PM either doesn't respond, or just won't do it.

I thing we're going to have to use it, but I hope nobody will be sending in tons of them all at once.
Sorry Paul...

I will go back to leaving a message in the comments box.
+5 votes

So, the way to do it is:

1. The db_errors report suggests that a profile needs to be open (it's now 200 years old etc)

2.  You post a comment on the ancestor's profile page and/or the manager's profile page, asking for this to happen.

3.  You wait 30 days for them to respond/change the privacy level.

4.  If they don't, you complete the Open Profile Request.  (BTW, where IS the Open Profile Request?)

Is this about right, do you think?

by Ros Haywood G2G Astronaut (1.9m points)
re 4: On the tab Family Tree & Genealogy Tools of a profile, in the category "Contact" (bottom of the page)
Thanks - found it!  But I doubt I will use it much.  After all, you have to have requested to be on the Trusted List.  I'm just going through my db_errors report.  I don't want to be on the Trusted List.  So do I just ignore that db_error and move onto something else?
Ros, you don't have to request to be on the trusted list to send an Open Profile request.  All that's necessary is for the person profiled to have been born 200+ years ago.

It's the Unresponsive Manager form that asks if you've made a request to be on the trusted list.
I am confused.  I went to 'Contact' on the Family Tree & Tools, as commented by BWJ Molier, and all it has is:

Ask a question about (the profile you are on)

Comment of Profile Message Board

E card

Private Message - directly contact profile Manager

Unresponsive Profile Manager Request Form

I went into this Form, and it does talk about opening profiles, then there is a series of tickboxes for the things you have done - and one of them is requesting to join the Trusted List.  If you go to Help and look up unresponsive profile manager, it says you will be asked if you have made this TL request.
But like I said above, the Unresponsive Profile Manager form isn't the one you want.  You want the Open Profile Request. It's right in the middle of the Contact section, between E-Card and Privacy Take-Down Request Form.
I don't have that feature.  (And I'm not on a mobile.)  I have tried with 4 different profiles now, all with differing levels of privacy, and NONE of them has that option.

AHA! Lightbulb moment!  All the profiles I was looking at were ones where I was the profile manager, so I didn't need it.  Now I have looked at a random one from my db_errors report, I can see that option.

Thanks for your patience.  I'll get there! ;)
After 2, you can also click Hide 30 days at the error, and forget about it. After a month, if user opened a profile, error shouldn't reappear, and if it does you take step 4.

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