Short Bytes: FamilyTreeNow.com is one of the creepiest websites on the internet. It stores a striking amount of personal data — including name, age, family members, and addresses — which can’t be ignored. It looks like a free database that has fetched information from thousands of U.S. public records. Anna Brittain, a writer who brought the issue into the limelight, has also shared a way to opt out of the website.
If you’re an avid user of social media and the internet, you might be knowing that your personal information, of varying sensitivity, is available to everyone. If you’ve taken proper care of your privacy settings, there are chances that you are leaking minimum information about yourself and your family.
But, on the internet, there are lots of creepy websites that act like a database and collect important information. Earlier this week, one such innocent-looking website, FamilyTreeNow.com, came into the limelight. People went into a frenzy as they realized that any person can look up their address, family, phone number, birth month, etc.
It was discovered by Anna Brittain, an Alabama-based young-adult fiction writer —
3) if you’re a part of an online community, ESPECIALLY if you receive threats, take note. You need to opt out, and I’m going to tell you how
— Anna Brittain (@Almost_Anna) January 10, 2017
The website claims to have one of the largest genealogy records anywhere, and “they are 100% free to search!” Finding it hard to believe? Simply visit this link, enter your name and state, and get ready to be astonished.
The possible information stored on the website is:
- Your name, age (month and year)
- A list of possible relatives (your spouse, children, extended family)
- Your past addresses and dates you lived there
Surprisingly, one doesn’t need to sign up or submit any information to get listed — it’s already up there.
FamilyTreeNow opt out option
Yes, there’s an option to opt out. It’s a pretty simple procedure, but I don’t know if it works.
Just click here to visit the FamilyTreeNow Opt Out page. Read the procedure, press the Begin Opt Out Procedure button. It’ll take you to a search page where you need to run a search for yourself.
After clicking the view detail option, verify that it’s your record and press the red “Opt Out” button. The website says that opt out requests take up to 48 hours to process. “Due to high volume, opt out requests submitted here will be severely delayed!!!,” the website adds.
Did you find this information on FamilyTreeNow.com helpful? Don’t forget to share your views and feedback.
Also Read: Your Chrome, Safari, And Opera Browsers Might Be Leaking Your Private Information
