FamilySearch Indexing Program Terms and Conditions (Updated 2014-12-17)


In order to participate as a volunteer indexer in the FamilySearch indexing program, you agree to the FamilySearch website Terms of Use and to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Upon your agreeing with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, FamilySearch International, a nonprofit corporation sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“FamilySearch” or “we”) grants to you permission to assist with genealogical research and associated record indexing through the FamilySearch indexing website.

Limited License to Use Images

We grant you a limited license to use images of historical records that you view for indexing via the FamilySearch indexing website (the “Images”). You may use the Images only as displayed on the FamilySearch indexing website, and you agree not to attempt to copy, distribute, re-post, e-mail, decrypt, or otherwise use the Images except as permitted and controlled by the FamilySearch indexing website. You agree not to use screenshot technologies of any kind to bypass any access controls or digital rights management features of the Images except as permitted above. You acknowledge that you do not own a copy of the Images, and that after you have completed the indexing tasks associated with a collection of Images, any Images you may have downloaded onto your system will be removed from your system so that you no longer have access to them. Violating the terms of this image license may subject you to liability for copyright infringement, including violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 1201.

Ownership of Your Work

Although you are working as a volunteer, without monetary compensation, you acknowledge and agree that your work in creating indexes of Images or otherwise performing related tasks using the FamilySearch indexing website (such indexes and related work together called your “Work Product”) shall be deemed a work made for hire under U.S. copyright law, and that your Work Product will therefore be entirely owned by FamilySearch. If the concept of work made for hire is not a part of copyright law where you live, then you agree to assign all rights and ownership in your Work Product to FamilySearch. You expressly waive all of your moral rights in your Work Product (including rights to attribution and integrity), and promise not to sue to assert those rights. You acknowledge that, based upon FamilySearch’s rights in and ownership of your Work Product, once your Work Product is submitted via the FamilySearch indexing website, you will only have access to your Work Product on the same basis as other members of the public, as controlled and managed by FamilySearch. FamilySearch has full rights to modify, post, and use your Work Product in any way it deems appropriate, without notice or compensation to you of any kind, in order to fulfill its broader goals of providing access to genealogical records. You agree to take such action and execute such further instruments as may be necessary to give effect to the ownership provisions of this Agreement as reasonably requested by FamilySearch at FamilySearch’s expense.

Other Terms

You understand that FamilySearch will collect and process the personal data you submit, such as your name, address, phone number, etc. This personal data may be made available to FamilySearch, its affiliated legal entities, and other volunteers who coordinate FamilySearch indexing projects, including reporting to group administrators in the case where you have joined a group or volunteered in behalf of an LDS church unit, genealogical society, or other group. However, only your user identification will be retained with your Work Product. More details regarding our use of your personal data can be found in our Privacy Policy, which you are encouraged to read and understand.

Although FamilySearch will exercise reasonable care in safeguarding your personal data, and will use it only for purposes of furthering genealogical research, your data may be sent to countries that have legal protections for personal data that are less restrictive than those in effect where you live. We allow you to remove or correct your personal information from the FamilySearch indexing system, but this will not affect FamilySearch’s ownership of or rights to your Work Product as described in this Agreement. You may remove or correct your personal information by signing on to www.familysearch.org. After signing in, at the top right, click your name, and then click Settings to make the changes.

You understand that FamilySearch indexing projects are subject to deadlines, to accuracy testing, and to other restrictions that may cause FamilySearch to impose restrictions on your participation in general or on your participation in a particular project to which you have been assigned or would like to be assigned.

Care and Deletion of Submissions

Although we will use reasonable efforts to preserve the integrity of your Work Product, you agree that we are not responsible for loss, damage, or corruption of your Work Product. You agree to manually delete any Work Product, including index files, or Images from your computer your Work Product has been submitted on the FamilySearch indexing website.

Legal Status

If you are under the age of 18 years old, you affirm that your parent or legal guardian consents to your participation as a volunteer in the FamilySearch indexing program and agrees to the terms of this Agreement on your behalf. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Utah, U.S.A, regardless of your location. FamilySearch does not warrant that the FamilySearch indexing website is free from errors. You agree that FamilySearch shall not be liable for any losses or damages you suffer because of your participation in FamilySearch indexing activities.

Effective date: December 17, 2014

To participate, you must verify that you agree with the terms and conditions above by clicking the I Agree checkbox and then clicking OK. If you do not agree with the above terms and conditions, you will not be permitted to participate in FamilySearch indexing activities. In that case, please click Cancel.

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