What happened to Family Discussions?

Or will there be now instead of them some User's Private Discussions (accessible only to starter's family group)?

[As translator I just translated some new phrases related to "new" Private Discussions.]

Also the amount of Family Group Photo Albums has decreased 3 times!

Is it possible that the originators of some of the discussions have reduced their family group size so that you are no longer in their family group?

It is just an old error that have popped up again, - I think this is the third time. You only see discussions have started yourself, and the "Show only discussions I'm following" option is not working again.

I also noticed that today and I'm only seeing my cousins and my started discussions

Is it possible that what has happened is that Family Discussions has shrunk to discussions started by your real family (up to 4th cousins) - rather than previously also including discussions started by people who were not your real family but you had added them to your family group?

Also on a different subject, View Nearby Merge Issues doesn't seem to be working

Yes Private User "View Nearby Merge Issues" of any family group member (like: http://www.geni.com/list/requested_merges?focus_id=6000000002764837879 ) will give now:
"We are experiencing technical difficulties"

NB! For non-members of your family group it gives "Error
You don't have permission to view this page" (this is OK as after last privacy change it is always so)

Yes Lauri.

1. It was the "We are experiencing technical difficulties" problem that I was referring to - when you SHOULD be able to see the nearby merge issues.

2. Back on topic re what has happened to Family Discussions, I think as I said that was happened is that it has shrunk to discussions started by your real family (up to 4th cousins) - rather than previously also including discussions started by people who were not your real family but you had added them to your family group.

The same appears to have happened to Family Awards - http://www.geni.com/statistics?tab=awards - they used to include those you had added to your family group who are not your real family, but not any more.

Actually I really do like how the Family discussions only include my real family now ..

no offense Brox. .lol

on the other hand I've finally found my long lost started discussion that I couldn't see before for some reason

I agree that family discussions should be for real family members only, if that is the reason for the change.

It is much more annoying that you cant see the name and having a link to the profile of people sending you a message, even if this is a person you have collaborated with for years.

Non-related family seem to have returned to family discussions, and to the Recently Online section on the Home Page, but not yet to Family Awards!

"View Nearby Merge Issues" was also fixed a couple of days ago

I'm very pleased about this David. A number of my distant cousins discuss ancestors who we are descended from and I have enjoyed reading and contributing to those discussions on occasion.