Indeed. Banning LE from accessing users' DNA results, and member trees, I think I could accept, but banning LE, including those working on cold cases, anywhere in the world, from accessing *records* is in my view a worrying development.

There are plenty of genealogy repositories online where online requests are not required and are as accessible as ancestry (though not as robust). If this is your wish (to see all LE work documented) I don’t think it will be granted.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I will point out that this also impacts not just LE but:

Medical examiners
Probate work
Mineral rights
Military repatriation
Paternity cases

Additionally, the majority of the American public support IGG work for UHR cases and violent crimes.

I will be reaching out to media outlets to speak out about this, as well as sharing on my social media and writing to my legislators who can impact public records deals with Ancestry. If we all do the same, maybe this policy can still be changed.

Thank you and please get in touch if you can help!

The dead cannot speak and we are their only voice! As genealogists we know this better than anyone.

If you are close with someone at Ancestry HQ and think you can make an impact, please speak out against this policy.

Please also consider where to spend your genealogy money!

I know for a fact that Ancestry has taken steps to enforce the policy. This will severely limit and slow IGG practitioners’ ability to restore the identities of the unidentified deceased, to resolve cases of violent crime, to repatriate military remains, etc.

“Judicial proceedings” also encompasses the work of FGs working on probate, mineral rights, property rights, paternity cases, etc.

Mind you these are PUBLIC RECORDS that Ancestry hosts and is now limiting who can access them. This also includes Find a Grave and other records populated by users!

The new ToS state that users must agree: “Not to use the Services in connection with any law enforcement investigation or judicial proceeding.”

This means no cold case investigations - unidentified human remains, violent crimes (murder and rape), or wrongful convictions.

Right? Like come on now 😂

Helllll nawwwww

I will wait until a more affordable dessert is in my grasp 😂

Um what the f ☹️☹️☹️

This is that parks and rec episode where Leslie Knope is made aware of the sweetums CEO