If you're not family don't bother

I have just spent half an hour going through the list of people who have asked for access to my family website www.geniaus.net. I am genuinely excited when a new cousin contacts me.

What gets up my nose is the number of people who ask for access without telling me how they are related. I have details of living people in the database and will not give access to any Tom Dick or Harriet.

When hear from someone who leaves a message like this I grant them access.

"Hi there!!
I'm a descendant of xxx and xxx and would like to find out more about my ancestors. My maternal grandmother was the daughter of the above, but has no listing in your tree. Also missing is her sister xxx; twin to xxx".

I email those who give no details asking what their relationship is to people in the database and guess what? I usually don't hear from them again.

Through publishing my tree on the internet I have made some very valuable connections and helped quite a number of distant cousins fill in the gaps in their family history.  The benefits definitely outweigh the disadvantages but sometimes I just need to have a rant.