Just to play the devil's advocate...

Most of us here are seriously committed to researching and documenting our
families. We feel that it's important, and that it may even be appreciated
by future generations, even if our own families often view us as harmless
eccentrics bitten by a strange bug.

But we need to keep in mind that not everybody shares our passion. (Just
think back to the last time someone asked you about the family tree and
inadvertently triggered a flood of names and dates. The eyes usually glaze
over by about the second or third minute, right?)

Outside of this "hobby" (obsession?), personal information including their
name, date of birth, and relationships are not things that normal people
want published. Often stuffed under the heading of "privacy", it also has
to do with precautions against identity theft and other criminal activity,
as well as genuine privacy.

When a person asks for themselves not to be listed, I can understand the
disappointment of the family genealogy addict, but I can't see any
reasonable way to refuse. (It's okay to argue and try to convince, but
the decision is ultimately theirs.) To do otherwise is a gross violation
of their wishes and their right to privacy, which trumps any hobby, no
matter how passionate.

tom klein, Toronto