Insertion of duplicate GEDCOM GDPR compliant?

Question

I just merged another duplicated profile, though my issue is not with the duplication as such but …

a) the non-neccesity of the inserted duplicated GEDCOMPARE data

b) the GDPR non-compliance of the remaining debris, when edited, looks like this:

[…] 4 May 2018 (Imported data from GEDCOM upload #116003, Person I9).

• Source: Francois Daniel Woudberg GEDCOM File : Woudberg.ged Electronic File Note: Bothasig +27 21 559 7010 woudval@telkomsa.net
• Source: Francois Woudberg GEDCOM File : Woudberg_2008-2-9.ged Electronic File Note: 24 Richwood Avenue RICHWOOD 082 465 7892 FRANCOISWOU@ABSA.CO.ZA

Any thoughts? Guidelines? Because it is an eighteenth century profile with current day personal contact information … (see also in this regard:https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/616098/moratorium-gedcom-file-uploads-til-figure-this-gdpr-change)

Answer 1

He chose to add the information about himself to the profile (by choosing to edit the profile and then save the new data to the profile) so it would be GDPR compliant. But it really doesn't add any value to the profile and should be removed.

Comments

Jamie, the GEDCOMPARE is standardised and the information automatically added if the GEDCOMPARE is cleared (meaning - he did not "choose" to add it; it is added as a rule). Even though it concerns a 200 year old profile and a non-eu contribuant, it is still concerning because there might be many other GEDCOMPARE's out there that are from citizins residing in the EU.

Also - the statement "if it does not add any value to the profile" it could be removed is in itself a strange notion - Why then allow such data? Another aspect [of this project] is that we do not merely remove data when it does not fit our picture of what valid data should be. All data should be collated …

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No information is automatically added from a gedcom. If you match a person in a gedcom to a person in wikitree, nothing happens without action from the user. The user has to press the edit button, and then save the edited profile. It's not WikiTree's fault if the person doesn't review their changes. They chose to add the data.

If someone adds unrelated data to a profile why wouldn't it be removed?

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Not unrelated data. Duplicated data. The person using GEDCOMPARE does not choose the format. The format has been chosen by WikiTree.

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I guess I don't understand what you are asking then?

Again, they chose not to edit out their personal data before saving, so it is GDPR compliant. At least until they withdraw their consent to have the data on the profile.

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In case of data being GDPR non-compliant, it will be the host / platform / company that will be liable to eventual claims, not the person in question who's data it is. Before editing, the data looked like this: 

+	'''Isabella''' Anna Margaretha Mostert.
		+	Given Name: Isabella Anna Margaretha.
		+	Surname: Mostert.
		+	''A Given name was found in addition to a first name in the NAME tag.''
		+	'''Died''' Y.
		+	18 JAN 1865.
		+	Long Street, Cape Town, South Africa.
		+	Age: 76-77.
		+
		+	'''Christening:'''
		+	13 JUL 1788.
		+	Age:
		+
		+	'''Note:''' Died at the age of 76 years 7 months 9 days.
		+
		+	'''Marriage'''
		+	Husband @I5@.
		+	Wife @I9@.
		+	Child: @I19@. <ref>Source: [[#S1]] Certainty: 0 25 SEP 2005</ref><ref>Source: [[#S2]] Certainty: 0 9 FEB 2008</ref>
		+
		+	Husband @I133@.
		+	Wife @I9@.
		+	Child: @I141@.
		+	Child: @I143@.
		+	Child: @I145@. <ref>Source: [[#S1]] Certainty: 0 25 SEP 2005</ref><ref>Source: [[#S2]] Certainty: 0 9 FEB 2008</ref>
		+
		+	Husband @I136@.
		+	Wife @I137@.
		+	Child: @I9@. <ref>Source: [[#S1]] Certainty: 0 25 SEP 2005</ref><ref>Source: [[#S2]] Certainty: 0 9 FEB 2008</ref>
		+
		+	== Sources ==
	<references />		<references />
		+
		+
		+	* Source: <span id='S1'>S1</span> Francois Daniel Woudberg GEDCOM File : Woudberg.ged Electronic File Note: <p>P. O. Box 28252</p><p><p>Bothasig</p></p><p><p>Cape Town</p></p><p><p>+27 21 559 7010</p></p><p>woudval@telkomsa.net</p> Certainty: 0 25 SEP 2005
		+	* Source: <span id='S2'>S2</span> Francois Woudberg GEDCOM File : Woudberg_2008-2-9.ged Electronic File Note: <p>24 Richwood Avenue</p><p><p>RICHWOOD</p></p><p><p>082 465 7892</p></p><p>FRANCOISWOU@ABSA.CO.ZA</p> Certainty: 0 9 FEB 2008

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Specifically this part is concerning: 

* Source: <span id='S1'>S1</span> Francois Daniel Woudberg GEDCOM File : Woudberg.ged Electronic File Note: <p>P. O. Box 28252</p><p><p>Bothasig</p></p><p><p>Cape Town</p></p><p><p>+27 21 559 7010</p></p><p>woudval@telkomsa.net</p> Certainty: 0 25 SEP 2005
		+	* Source: <span id='S2'>S2</span> Francois Woudberg GEDCOM File : Woudberg_2008-2-9.ged Electronic File Note: <p>24 Richwood Avenue</p><p><p>RICHWOOD</p></p><p><p>082 465 7892</p></p><p>FRANCOISWOU@ABSA.CO.ZA</p> Certainty: 0 9 FEB 2008

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+	* Source: <span id='S2'>S2</span> Francois Woudberg GEDCOM File : Woudberg_2008-2-9.ged Electronic File Note: <p>24 Richwood Avenue</p><p><p>RICHWOOD</p></p><p><p>082 465 7892</p></p><p>FRANCOISWOU@ABSA.CO.ZA</p> Certainty: 0 9 FEB 2008

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But if that is a source in someone's gedcom, and the person doesn't choose to delete it before they save the profile, how is WikiTree supposed to stop it?

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How is that person supposed to understand and know the implications? There has been many discussions about the responsibilty of the contribuants - regarding the integration of bio's, the validity of data, the avoidance of duplicates, checking before uploading GEDCOMs, yet we all know all too well that the individual will fail to do so many times

… in this case WikiTree is by international law responsible - WikITree took far reaching measures to ensure that it is GDPR compliant. This detail seems to have been overlooked …

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Having spent quite a lot of time thinking about the GDPR and Wikitree, and also a lot of time experimenting with the gedcom import process, I don't know if WikiTree can do anything more to prevent people from posting private data in the biography of a profile.

If anyone has an idea, I'd be interested in hearing it, especially since I'm currently working on improving how data is imported from gedcoms.

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I agree. I have in the past for the sake of future research, also included corresondence dates, names and adresses. I understand now that that is with hindsight problematic.

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Another reason why I don't upload GEDCOM data anymore. I have a LOT of personal notes in my gedcom text fields that is not appropriate for a wikitree profile.

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I'm a bit late to this party, but this type of mention should definitely be removed... It  has a good chance of being the name of someone who provided the information (or whose information was copied) but who never gave his/her consent to have his/her name and details repeated all over the internet (and is not aware of it).