GenEthics Certification

Purpose 

The development of the Internet has helped bring millions of individuals closer to their ancestors.  Unfortunately the misuse of personal information for living individuals being posted presents the opportunity for identity theft.

The GenEthics Certification process is to increase awareness of this issue and to acknowledge those Internet genealogists who respect the privacy of living individuals by not posting their information without their consent.

National Genealogical Society 

The NGS recognizes this problem has has prepared Standards that the GenEthics program supports:

• Use of Technology In Genealogical Research

• Sharing Information with Others

• Guidelines for Publishing Web Pages on the Internet

Qualifications 

As a minimum a site applying for certification must:

• Not have any dates or other personal information on any of that site's pages for any living individual unless there is some type of consent given by the living person.

• Be respectful of other's work and contributors by obtaining their permission to post the information and by giving them credit on the site.

• Having an email address or some other method for individuals to contact the webmaster and a system in place to immediately remove any information that is requested to be deleted.

Proceed to the Application Process