Tech Forum

So we are trying to paste the HT and VT routes/lists on the Ward Web Site. The only question or concern that we have is, is it allowed? I can understand why it would not be allowed, for privacy reasons, but then it is the same information that is listed under the Membership Directory. So does anyone else have any thoughts or experience with this?

JCsHands wrote:So we are trying to paste the HT and VT routes/lists on the Ward Web Site. The only question or concern that we have is, is it allowed? I can understand why it would not be allowed, for privacy reasons, but then it is the same information that is listed under the Membership Directory. So does anyone else have any thoughts or experience with this?

Yes, it's the same names as what's in the Membership Directory; however, who is assigned to who is not in the Membership Directory. I'm not really sure if it is meant to be private or not, but all the same, you are adding a new piece of information that wasn't there before and that could have privacy concerns.

I'm unaware of any policy that would prevent it from being posted. My own best guess is that it be left up to local leaders.

I do have one concern. Some users have asked their information to be removed from the website. How would you make sure the same is done with the HT/VT routes?

RussellHltn wrote:I'm unaware of any policy that would prevent it from being posted. My own best guess is that it be left up to local leaders.

I do have one concern. Some users have asked their information to be removed from the website. How would you make sure the same is done with the HT/VT routes?

That is very true, I had not thought about users that would not like the information to be listed on the site. Is there anyway to see a list of those that have chosen not to have their information public? I know that the local leaders are all for the idea to put the information on the website, one less excuse for not doing ones home teaching.

JCsHands wrote:That is very true, I had not thought about users that would not like the information to be listed on the site. Is there anyway to see a list of those that have chosen not to have their information public? I know that the local leaders are all for the idea to put the information on the website, one less excuse for not doing ones home teaching.

For better or worse, there is no way in MLS to automatically flag those members who have asked to be excluded from local ward directories. If there are such cases, each unit has to follow its own policy and ad hoc methods. (This is in addition to the manual flagging of such members within the LUWS directories, which is accomplished by the web administrator.)

So if you have such persons in your unit, you will have to extend those ad hoc methods to the HT/VT lists you publish. Of course, you then would have to communicate the full lists privately to the individual home or visiting teachers.

JCsHands wrote:Is there anyway to see a list of those that have chosen not to have their information public?

I didn't do an extensive test, but ran a quick test on my own name. If you go in as LUWS admin and pull up the Ward Directory (in the green Admin mode) things that are grayed out have been set as withheld.

I did notice that going back in to restore things that by default that screen doesn't remember the options. Which is to say, if you go in to look at what has been withheld, suddenly nothing is withheld.

RussellHltn wrote:I didn't do an extensive test, but ran a quick test on my own name. If you go in as LUWS admin and pull up the Ward Directory (in the green Admin mode) things that are grayed out have been set as withheld.

I did notice that going back in to restore things that by default that screen doesn't remember the options. Which is to say, if you go in to look at what has been withheld, suddenly nothing is withheld.

I did not quite understand this. When the Admin screen is refreshed, I have never had a case where the information that has been withheld is not grayed out as it should be. Perhaps I misunderstood.

When our stake first started using LUWS, we had one ward where the bishop made the Admin gray everyone out before he would support the site. Everyone then had to "opt in" to LUWS.

Fortunately, this has since changed. But it was a whale of a lot of work for the Admin for a while.

lajackson wrote:I did not quite understand this. When the Admin screen is refreshed, I have never had a case where the information that has been withheld is not grayed out as it should be. Perhaps I misunderstood.

More likely, I can't write clearly.

Yes, the Admin screen itself is accurate, the problem is in the "change" screen. Going into that section automatically clears everything.

JCsHands wrote:So we are trying to paste the HT and VT routes/lists on the Ward Web Site. The only question or concern that we have is, is it allowed? I can understand why it would not be allowed, for privacy reasons, but then it is the same information that is listed under the Membership Directory. So does anyone else have any thoughts or experience with this?

I'm curious about why the ward would want to post this info to their website (privacy concerns aside). I think most would agree that it is the leaders' responsibility to see that home/visiting teachers know about their families. Maybe this is for the benefit of the families being visited, in case they don't know who their home/visiting teachers are? If it was me, I'd simply contact my organization leader. It just seems like a lot of management for little benefit.

ericb wrote:I'm curious about why the ward would want to post this info to their website (privacy concerns aside). I think most would agree that it is the leaders' responsibility to see that home/visiting teachers know about their families. Maybe this is for the benefit of the families being visited, in case they don't know who their home/visiting teachers are? If it was me, I'd simply contact my organization leader. It just seems like a lot of management for little benefit.

I often thought about the amount of effort we as ward clerks (otherwise) put into the websites. I guess I look at it this way, if it motivates, encourages others to fulfill their callings I am all for it. I am not the judge to say how much info on a website is too much.

Just my thoughts...