Help:Trusted List FAQ
Categories: WikiTree Help | Privacy Help
Here are questions and answers about WikiTree's unique Trusted List system for privacy.
What are Trusted Lists?
Every single profile on WikiTree has its own Trusted List. It's the list of people who are trusted with full access to that profile.
Why does every profile have a Trusted List?
WikiTree's unique Trusted List system enables us all to collaborate on a single, shared family tree while still maintaining essential privacy.
Every profile — every person — has a circle of trust around them. Your circle is not the same as the one for your cousin, or your mother-in-law, or your great-grandfather.
It's also a matter of interest level. For example, your cousins will be interested in your great-grandfather's profile, but not your spouse's great-grandfather.
If I add you to my Trusted List can you access every profile I can access?
No. Every profile has its own Trusted List. As a WikiTree user, you have a profile and your profile has a Trusted List. People on this list can access your profile but they cannot automatically access other profiles you have created or edited. Those other profiles have their own Trusted Lists.
If I'm in your profile's Trusted List are you in my profile's Trusted List?
Not always. This is often the case, but Trusted Lists are independently controlled. Some people are more sensitive about sharing information than others.
What is the connection between Trusted Lists and family relationships?
There is no automatic connection. If you are in someone's family tree it doesn't mean you will be automatically added to all the Trusted Lists that they manage.
Trusted Lists work somewhat like "friends lists" on social networking sites such as Facebook. Each person on a list needs to be individually approved. The big difference here is that our ancestors are included in the network and have their own "friends lists".
Who can add and remove people from a Trusted List?
Trusted Lists are edited by the current members of the Trusted List, led by the Profile Manager.
Click here for more about Trusted List additions and removals. You can make multiple Trusted List changes here.
Can the people in your profile's Trusted List edit all your information?
People in your profile's Trusted List can edit most of the same information about you as you yourself can edit. It sounds scary but it's what a collaborative wiki is all about.
The things they can't change:
- Your last name at birth
- Your password (nobody can see this but you, not even WikiTree admins)
- Your e-mail address
- Your primary photo
- Your privacy settings
Don't be too worried. You are instantly alerted to changes on your Family Activity Feed and via weekly e-mail updates. You can change back anything. And you can remove anyone from your Trusted List at any time.
Why does a profile of a distant ancestor need a Trusted List?
Most profiles of distant ancestors on WikiTree are Open. With these profiles the Trusted List is much less meaningful. However, the Trusted List members have the profile on their Watchlist.
What are Watchlists?
Watchlists are the inverse of Trusted Lists.
Every user has their own Watchlist. These list the profiles that they're trusted to access.
Changes to profiles in your Watchlist appear on your Family Activity Feed and in your weekly e-mail updates.
If you have more questions, ask them in our G2G Q&A forum.
This page was last modified 21:07, 9 October 2021. This page has been accessed 8,143 times.