LDS Tools directory shows birth year and age

I have clerk privileges, so I understand why this may be visible in my LDS Tools login. However, our HP Group 1st Assistant also sees the age and birth year for members of our ward. Is that right?

Is he seeing ages and birth years for everyone, or just high priests in the ward?

smconvey wrote:I have clerk privileges, so I understand why this may be visible in my LDS Tools login. However, our HP Group 1st Assistant also sees the age and birth year for members of our ward. Is that right?

Does he see if for all members of the ward or for just High Priests? If he can only see that for HPs then it is probably right.

You might also double-check and see if he has any other callings that might give him rights.

I am the HPGL. I can see all birthdays of all members of my ward (adults and children, male and female). I can see no birthdays of members of other wards in my Stake.

My Wife is the Ward Organist, and Primary Chorister (and several others, but we won't go there... lol). She cannot see any birthdays for anyone - adults or children.

We are both on Android versions of LDSTools. I cannot answer for the HP Assistants (we have been a little short in that arena), but list my experience above as a reference.

davesudweeks wrote:I am the HPGL. I can see all birthdays of all members of my ward (adults and children, male and female).

Just to be clear, birthdays or birthdates/age? Big difference in privacy.

russellhltn wrote:Just to be clear, birthdays or birthdates/age? Big difference in privacy.

With the latest update of LDS Tools a few days ago, I received access to some additional information about members that seems to me to be commensurate with the level of my particular calling at the moment.

I previously had birthdate and age. Now I have enough additional information that I wondered if there had been a policy change.

Others in callings different than mine did not gain access to all of the information that was given to me. But another person in a position the same as mine gained the same access I received.

I suspect that there has been a review of access permission levels that has resulted in many of these changes.

The Release Notes for 2.4.0 dated 02 March 2015 (https://www.lds.org/help/support/lds-to ... ng#android) give some indication of new Leadership abilities: "Added access to additional membership information and reports for ward council members and their counselors and secretaries", and another indicates "... ability to view birthdays grouped by age". Interesting that more personal information is now available on mobile devices. I am a technology guy, I work as a systems programmer/analyst at a large world-wide company, and I use a lot of tech. It seems like there are securities in place, but I don't have a full warm and fuzzy about having our personal information going mobile. Is there a detailed write-up any where that describes the specific additional information access that has been given to what specific leader types?

Hopefully anyone with access to sensitive information will be required to have a PIN on LDS Tools.

russellhltn wrote:Hopefully anyone with access to sensitive information will be required to have a PIN on LDS Tools.

I have to enter a pin every time I start LDS Tools. And once a month I am required to sync, which forces me to enter my LDS Account sign in and password credentials again.

lajackson wrote:I have to enter a pin every time I start LDS Tools.

I know you do. I'm talking about the leaders that now have expanded access to personal information.

If you've been using the beta, this is old news and actually follows what we see on LCR now with the expanded access.

It's actually the birth date and age that we're seeing on LCR so it makes sense to see the same in LDS Tools too.

Now if they would only add in the priesthood office, we'd be set!

jokamura wrote:Now if they would only add in the priesthood office, we'd be set!

I wouldn't expect that for all leaders, but I would for bishopric and quorum leaders.

I've got to say, I was pretty pissed when I opened lds tools and I could see birth dates and ages listed. I immediately looked for an opt out in the account settings. I'd prefer that the whole ward not have access to all of my info. In my opinion, quorum leaders and counselors do not need this info!! I was also pretty mad when I discovered someone in my ward thought it was ok to enter my mobile phone number into the system without my approval. Who am I supposed to contact with my complaints?

unbobfinch wrote:I've got to say, I was pretty pissed when I opened lds tools and I could see birth dates and ages listed.

What an individual sees is based on their calling. What is your calling? Can you see birth dates and ages for members who are NOT under your stewardship given your calling?

unbobfinch wrote:I was also pretty mad when I discovered someone in my ward thought it was ok to enter my mobile phone number into the system without my approval.

That would have to be some one in the Bishopric/clerk. Quorum and auxiliary leaders do not have the ability to enter them. I'd voice your objection to the bishop.

1st counselor in the young men presidency. I can see every birthdate and age for the whole ward. I don't need this info. and I don't think anyone really needs it on their mobile device. Opt in/out should be available for virtually all of this info.

unbobfinch wrote:1st counselor in the young men presidency. I can see every birthdate and age for the whole ward.

I haven't been told how it's supposed to work, but that surprises me.

unbobfinch wrote:I'd prefer that the whole ward not have access to all of my info. In my opinion, quorum leaders and counselors do not need this info!!

I would use the Feedback link on the main LDS.org page. While you may not get any personal acknowledgment, it goes get to those in charge.

I can see everyones age if I access the directory on my Android, but not on my pc. I'm a counselor in YW, so I don't need that info. Actually, I don't understand why anyone would need it.
Personally, I do not want anyone seeing my age. I don't mind people knowing my birthday, but I do not want my year of birth or my age visible to anyone.
I just submitted a Feedback form and will post the reply when it comes.

unbobfinch wrote:I've got to say, I was pretty pissed when I opened lds tools and I could see birth dates and ages listed. I immediately looked for an opt out in the account settings. I'd prefer that the whole ward not have access to all of my info. In my opinion, quorum leaders and counselors do not need this info!! I was also pretty mad when I discovered someone in my ward thought it was ok to enter my mobile phone number into the system without my approval. Who am I supposed to contact with my complaints?

Go into the directory online and remove it, it will remove it in MLS as well.

johnshaw wrote:Go into the directory online and remove it, it will remove it in MLS as well.

And mention to your ward clerk that you do not wish to have that number in the system.

I wouldn't mention it... I'd test it to see if it comes back... 1st time could be a simple mistake - second time is an email to the clerk, the bishop, the stake clerk and the stake president asking them to follow the privacy policies the church has in place.

Here is an FAQ for this topic:

Why am I seeing birthdates and other private membership information for members in my ward?

In the iOS and Android versions of LDS Tools, members of stake presidencies, bishoprics, stake and ward clerks, executive secretaries, and ward council members, including their counselors and secretaries, are provided with additional membership data and reports. This information is provided to assist these leaders in their callings to minister to their ward members. The information should be used appropriately and treated as sensitive by these leaders to help ensure the data privacy of their ward members.

https://lds.org/lds-tools-support

johnshaw wrote:Go into the directory online and remove it, it will remove it in MLS as well.

How do you do this online? What is MLS? Why is this even possible to have this info available? Nobody needs the whole ward's info. I am secretary in YW, why do I need the birthdays and ages of the entire ward? It used to show all membership record numbers too. We should have more control over what is shared with anyone.

I also submitted this to "help" online quite a while ago and got no reply.

julietayler wrote:

johnshaw wrote:Go into the directory online and remove it, it will remove it in MLS as well.

How do you do this online?

The text you quoted from someone responding to the fact that he didn't like people seeing his cell phone number. Anyone can remove their individual phone number by signing in to the Directory on LDS.org, going to their own household, clicking Edit at the top of their household info, then clicking the Edit link by whatever piece of information they want to adjust. They can then change the value and/or privacy settings for that particular piece of information.

julietayler wrote:What is MLS?

Member and Leader Services is the administrative software application running on clerk computers. It allows clerks and bishopric ans stake presidency members to see and edit membership information; it also is connected to Church databases so that changes made in the Directory or other Church systems will be synced back to MLS.

julietayler wrote:Why is this even possible to have this info available?

This information is made available to leaders so that they can fulfill the responsibilities of their callings.

julietayler wrote:Nobody needs the whole ward's info.

I would argue that the bishopric and clerks need access to the whole ward's info, and to a somewhat lesser extent, ward council members also need very broad access.

julietayler wrote:I am secretary in YW, why do I need the birthdays and ages of the entire ward? It used to show all membership record numbers too. We should have more control over what is shared with anyone.

Showing membership record numbers to ward council members (except their own household's MRNs) was a mistake, which has been corrected.

The developers of the various apps and systems try very hard to supply the information to leaders and members that they need for their stewardships, while still protecting privacy as is certainly appropriate. That's often a delicate balance, but for the most part I think the various Church systems do a pretty good job of meeting both goals.

As for your specific question about birthdays, it's certainly the case that you as a YW secretary have a need to see birthdays and ages for all the young women, as well as 11-year-old girls, and probably 18-year-old young women (to help with the transition to RS). There would also be arguments that it could be helpful to see that info for YM, and some other ward members. It's difficult to set the permissions to handle exactly the set of individuals you might need, so as a leader, you get access to the whole ward's birthdays. That information is not available to regular members.

Sounds like there was a bug where membership records were shown and then it was corrected?

I am a membership clerk in our Ward and the bishop has received several complaints lately of people stating that the ages of all ward members are shown in LDS tools.

One such person was the Beehive advisor who can see the ages of everyone in the ward instead of just the young women. Just curious if anyone knows the extent of this over showing of ages and if and when it will or has been corrected?

In the meantime I will continue to field questions and complaints from ward members over seeing everyone's age. I will encourage people to update their mobile apps just in case it has been fixed and simply needs a software update?

Any additional information would be greatly appreciated. I am in the software business as a profession so I understand bugs and Bug tracking software and releases and release schedules I am just curious to know if there's an estimated fixed date for this apparent bug.

I just came across this forum, and wanted to make a couple of suggestions:

1) Make the leadership only privacy setting the default - so members have to opt into giving more information.

2) Other than infants/children/youth - whose classes/quorums are age specific, what is the possible rationale for listing people's ages and having it available to all?

I understand listing a birthday, but not age/birthdate - seems like this information should not be available to everyone in the ward or stake. I can see other families' ages and have no calling that makes this even remotely necessary. My age is showing up even though I've selected leadership only.

rjcablas wrote:1) Make the leadership only privacy setting the default - so members have to opt into giving more information.

In some countries, because of local laws, that is the default. I'm not completely sure who is considered a "leader" in this case. It might be as broad as the ward council. But it's certainly not a service project coordinator. Having "leadership only" as default makes the directory nearly worthless for non-leaders like the "service project coordinator" or any other position that would need to call members.

rjcablas wrote:2) Other than infants/children/youth - whose classes/quorums are age specific, what is the possible rationale for listing people's ages and having it available to all?

It's not available to all. I think ward council members can see for members of the ward. But the general membership can only see their own.

rjcablas wrote:I just came across this forum, and wanted to make a couple of suggestions:

The forums are just user-to-user help. No one here can make any changes to any of the church systems, tools or apps. To provide suggestions or express concerns you need to use the Feedback link on any page on lds.org. That's the official way to get requests/feedback to the decision makers.