Genealogy Speakers - Should We Be Concerned?
Are our webinars being shared without our knowledge?
As a public speaker, teaching primarily for libraries and genealogy societies, I’ve been sitting with something for a while and I still don’t know how I feel about it all. I’d like to know what your thoughts are on this topic.
I do realize I may get backlash for asking the questions in this article. However, someone needs to speak out about this topic. Things do not change when kept hidden in the dark. Only when they are brought to the light can we create change.
When webinars became all the rage before 2020 I was not sure that was an arena I wanted to play in for many reasons. One of which being my life was being lived in Chicago and Amsterdam and that made scheduling things for societies a little harder to do unless it was live in person in the Chicago area during the months I knew I’d be home.
Then 2020 hit and everything changed. I had built an online business and was teaching through Zoom webinar and meetings and gave my students access to video replays which they could view but not download. In a few cases I give audio download access and if I retire a class I may let students download the replay. In general I do not allow this as it protects me a little from people stealing my work.
Over the last few years I’ve started speaking for genealogical societies around the country via webinar platforms. Most societies record them to put into a Member’s Area for a period of time. I thought, ok that’s fine as long as it is a short period because I want people to receive the information I teach. But then I learned something I had never considered……
I learned that many societies allowed their members to download the webinars if they were behind the Member paywall.
I had never thought to ask if this was an option. Silly me thought if it was behind a member’s area wall then the members could view the webinar but not download it. I was wrong. Now a question is - why are presenters never told their webinars can be downloaded behind the member wall? Why is this not part of our contract or discussion?
Surely I cannot be the only person who never knew this was possible?
Why is Downloading Possible & Allowed?
We all know societies have little funding, usually, to spend on speakers so it would make sense they have little money to invest in technology for a secure members area that serves both members and speakers.
Societies may not have the tech knowledge to prevent downloads or set up a more secure members area. They may not use a platform that allows the option to say ‘no downloading’. After speaking with a few societies I know this to be true.
So how can this be changed?
Raising dues is an option but then the genealogy community will rise up and get upset. There has always been a general energy and voice to ‘records and research (and people’s knowledge) should all be free.’ In reality, this isn’t the world we live in. You would pay your car mechanic or plumber for their expertise and knowledge, so why not a speaker or researcher?
Member Areas Outside the Genealogy Community
Something we need to clarify is how member areas work outside the genealogy community. Usually a business or teacher/professional has a member area. They create and produce their content and share it. Paid subscribers or students have access to view and/or download the webinars depending on the preference of the business or individual who set it up.
I’ve taken many classes where I paid a hefty fee and the instructor allowed downloading of all webinar replays, audio replays, etc. Then I’ve also paid for other programs where I was allowed to view only, but download audio replays and materials. These are things the business or individual created.
Now, let’s look at a genealogy society Member’s Area. It’s may be made up primarily of webinars the society paid a speaker to give. These webinars are not actually created by the society but we allow access behind the wall. When societies allow people to download webinars for which we receive no compensation or even knowledge it was done - is that ok? Is our material in a sense being stolen even though we have copyright over it and thought we were agreeing to let people VIEW after it was put behind the wall?
Should genealogy societies be telling speakers they allow downloading so we have an option to not speak for them if we are not ok with this option? Or are we not told because then societies would get less speakers?
I have no answers to these questions.
Genealogy Speaker Compensation
For decades there has been an ongoing battle about what speakers should be paid. About once a year the genealogical speaking community gets all fired up and moans about how little we get paid because societies have no money or not enough money. But then there are some “big name” people who always demand and receive bigger money. While the “little people” who have just as amazing skills get paid peanuts in many cases.
So while we are not getting paid what we are worth in most cases because it takes a tremendous amount of time to just create the presentation and handouts, not to mention the life experience we had to gain (likely unpaid) to even be able to present on a topic, is it ok that our webinars are being downloaded without our knowledge in many cases for free?
I know for at least one society I can go pay their membership dues and get 3 years worth of webinars they specifically tell members not to download. How is this ok for the speaker?
Again, I have no answers to these questions.
I am a firm believer that everything that crosses my path and everyone, happens for a reason. For my soul’s highest good. And maybe my ancestors even sent these things so I would be aware and make a change in my life. As I ponder these questions, another possibility for the speaking I do is available outside the genealogy community. In a space that would reach more people, where I’d be paid what I was worth and I have a sense, could impact more people. I’m sitting with this as well because it would require me to make some major changes in what I do and require a lot of work to set it all up.
So I am questioning and contemplating everything.
What do you think about this? I’d love to hear your thoughts or your questions around this topic. I do realize that by commenting, it may impact who hires you to speak. That is a risk I’m willing to take to voice my concerns about this practice. Again, I really am not sure how I feel about it. If you’d like to share privately, you can email me at jennifer@ancestralsouls.com. I promise to keep your reply confidential.