Purpose
The Cooper-Ackwood Family Archive is committed to preserving family history while protecting the dignity, privacy, and safety of living family members.
This Privacy Charter establishes the permanent principles governing how personal information is collected, preserved, shared, and protected throughout the life of the archive.
Privacy First
When historical preservation and personal privacy appear to conflict, administrators shall carefully consider both interests.
For living family members, privacy and personal safety shall generally take precedence unless the individual has given informed permission or the information is already intentionally public.
Living Family Members
Information about living individuals shall be collected thoughtfully and only to the extent necessary to fulfill the mission of the archive.
Sensitive information shall not be publicly displayed without appropriate authorization.
Living family members should have reasonable opportunities to review, update, or request corrections to information concerning themselves.
Deceased Family Members
The archive exists in part to preserve the lives and stories of deceased relatives.
Historical information concerning deceased family members may be documented more comprehensively while remaining respectful, accurate, and supported by available evidence.
Sensitive topics should be presented with dignity and historical context rather than judgment or speculation.
Children
The privacy of children shall receive the highest level of protection.
Information concerning minors should be shared only when appropriate, with careful consideration given to their safety, dignity, and future privacy.
Administrators shall avoid publishing unnecessary personal information about children.
Consent
Whenever practical, living individuals should be informed when substantial personal information, photographs, recordings, or stories concerning them are added to the archive.
Respectful communication should be encouraged whenever questions or concerns arise.
Public Information
Only information intentionally designated for public viewing shall appear in publicly accessible portions of the archive.
Public content should celebrate family history without exposing unnecessary personal details about living individuals.
Private Information
Private family information shall be available only to authorized users according to the Information Classification Policy established by this Constitution.
Access shall be granted only to the extent necessary for the intended purpose.
Restricted Information
Certain information requires heightened protection because of its personal, legal, medical, financial, or security implications.
Restricted information shall be accessible only to administrators or specifically authorized individuals.
Permanent Exclusions
The archive shall not intentionally preserve information that unnecessarily places living family members at risk.
Examples include:
- Passwords
- Financial account numbers
- Government identification numbers
- Security questions or authentication information
- Private medical records not intended for historical preservation
- Information that could reasonably facilitate identity theft, fraud, harassment, or physical harm
Respect for Personal Wishes
Living family members may request reasonable corrections, updates, or removal of personal information concerning themselves.
Administrators should carefully balance these requests with the archive's responsibility to preserve an accurate historical record.
Whenever possible, solutions should protect both personal privacy and historical integrity.
Responsible Sharing
Information obtained through the archive should be shared responsibly.
Members granted access are expected to respect the privacy of relatives and avoid redistributing private information without permission.
Continuing Responsibility
Privacy is not a one-time decision.
Each generation of administrators shall regularly review privacy practices to ensure they continue protecting living family members while fulfilling the archive's mission of preserving family history.
Guiding Principle
The purpose of preserving family history is never to expose people.
It is to honor the lives of those who came before us, protect those who are with us today, and leave future generations a truthful history preserved with wisdom, respect, and compassion.