This Family Tree Website Knows Way Too Much About You—and It’s Seriously Creepy

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A certain genealogy website is making waves right now—not for its charm, but for its downright eerie ability to dig up personal information. This site, which tracks family connections, provides free access to sensitive details about you to anyone who wants to look. Yikes!

The silver lining? You can easily remove your info.

FamilyTreeNow reveals current and past addresses, phone numbers, birth records, relatives’ names, and even information about your past and present relationships. Much of this data comes from public records, much like other “people search” websites such as Spokeo and Intelius. The kicker? FamilyTreeNow is free, which makes it all the more unsettling. Your private information is just a few clicks away for anyone.

This can be particularly alarming for individuals in high-risk occupations or those who have faced threats, like activists or survivors of domestic violence. I can personally relate, as I find myself in several of these categories. When I decided to peek at my own info on FamilyTreeNow, I was shocked to find my old addresses and family links perfectly accurate. Honestly, it sent chills down my spine. My uneasiness was amplified by a recent Twitter incident where a troll threatened to expose my personal details—including my address and my children’s information—just because he didn’t like a blog post I wrote. Thankfully, law enforcement intervened and Twitter banned him, but it was a terrifying experience. Websites like FamilyTreeNow make it all too easy for people like him to wreak havoc.

Herein lies the dilemma: While sites like these can be a treasure trove for genealogy enthusiasts who love exploring their roots, they can also serve as tools for those with malicious intentions—people looking to harass, threaten, or even physically harm others. On the bright side, you can opt out and scrub your info from the site in just a few minutes.

I followed the steps to opt out, and within 24 hours, my information was no longer visible. I’m not entirely sure if it’s gone from their database or if they’re just blocking public access to it. The Washington Post attempted to contact the founders of FamilyTreeNow for clarification, but they were left hanging without a response.

Here’s how you can do it yourself:

1. Step 1: Click the ‘begin’ button to access the search page and look for yourself.
2. Step 2: Once you find your record, click on it to verify it’s really you and not just someone with the same name.
3. Step 3: If you’re sure it’s you, hit the big red ‘Opt Out’ button on the page.
4. Step 4: You’re all set! Just wait up to 48 hours for your request to be processed. If you have multiple records, repeat steps 1-4.

In our tech-driven world, internet privacy is a pressing concern. As technology advances, we must remain vigilant about what personal information is out there. It’s daunting, but staying informed can help us protect ourselves.

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Summary

FamilyTreeNow is a genealogy site that exposes a wealth of personal information about individuals, making it easily accessible to anyone. This poses a significant risk, especially for those in vulnerable positions. However, users can opt out and remove their information from the site quickly. Awareness of internet privacy is crucial in our tech-laden lives.