Genealogy Chat

In simple terms if you publish something on the internet you have put it in the public domain. So, don't be surprised if others make use of the information.

Restricting who has access doesn't work as you have no say or control how those you do allow to see your info might pass it on to others.

Once it it there it isn't stealing either so be careful of using that term in public.

There are multiple versions of my research being circulated, most of which have many, many errors. The most accurate one is the current version have on my PC and even that has its faults and is updated at least weekly.

I used to but no longer get worked up about it. If someone is deluded enough to believe their random collection of copied data is better than mine then so fool them.

You know I really enjoy genealogy, I spend a lot of time and money to make sure my research is correct, with birth, marriage & death certificate to back up my data and now I have to keep all of it private so that I know its safe, it seems such a shame.

I do not have many photos, but I do get annoyed when someone who is not related steals them then adds them as though it was them who submitted the photos in the first place.

I made my tree private after a name collector copied all my hard work plus took a photo of my grandparents...she then came onto GR and asked to see my tree which is very minimal, I asked how she was related to my dads only sister (which was the name she was researching)...never got a reply.

I have just looked at her ancestry tree and she has over 52k people in it I think her tree on here was over 30k last time I looked with hundreds of stolen photos which I used to see added daily

I was doing a tree for my father-in-law and was given some old photo's that I added to the tree on ancestry I thought that I had made all my trees private but I noticed a few weeks later that another tree had the same photos and when I asked about the pictures the tree owner said that she had taken them her response was as followed....Hi, I copied Joseph into my tree as he is the grand nephew of the wife of 2nd great grand uncle. I have a copy of the line if you would be prepared to let me have your email.
Needless to say having sent my e-mail address I have not heard another word from her.

I opened my tree to someone who shared quite a few of relations he asked if I had any photos, I had lots we agreed to swap as he said he had some I didn't. Guess what....I sent five to him and I'm still waiting to receive his to me. This is about three years ago now,
.

When I did have my tree public on ancestry a 2nd cousin asked me why I had a George instead of the William she had, as the father of James our gt grandfather.

I told her he was named a George on the marriage cert...Oh she said. She has never changed it and has gone back four more generations with the wrong family.

I wouldn't mind but our James was born 1859 and the census's she has attached he was born 1852 so not even close.

She also has the marriage cert attached to this tree as it is a London one....I wonder if she has ever looked at it as the maiden name of our gt grandmother is that of her stepfather rather than her name she was always known as, and married as

I have even purchased the right and wrong certificates to prove that someone was researching the wrong person, and 5 years down the line they are still looking at the wrong person, there is not helping some folk.

I know that if I happened to be contacted by someone who was able to prove to me that I had one wrong person in my tree I would be delighted as I do my best to ensure all my research is correct and corroborrated.

I now let all that pass over my head, I know that I could get very annoyed but it just is not worth it...

I have noticed a few trees on ancestry with my relations in them with lots of wrong info ie people marrying the wrong person. They obviously have not bothered ordering certs to get the right information and just pick a spouse who seems to fit the bill. Whats the point? When I contacted someone to tell them they said they were still working on that branch! That was a couple of years ago and it's still the same.

I recently had a look at the new revamped 'familysearch.org' site & was very annoyed to see lots of my ancestors included into an unknown persons tree. There were details given that only I knew about so I have concluded that this information has been passed around from one person to another. I must have given access to someone several years ago & they in turn have let others see it. The problem with that site is that when in later years you find mistakes in your original research & then alter it - the familysearch site keep it all & so the incorrect information stays.

Now I have closed all access to my tree & will never open it again for anyone. I would be willing to help anyone with a serious request but only in regard to a specifically named person.

I also noticed that some of this wrong information has also been added to some trees on Ancestry - same person perhaps?

Close yours straight away.

You will find that many on here now no longer give others access to their trees, we will pass on information about specific relatives and hope for the same.

Sadly there are many people who will ask to see your tree (telling you they will give access to theirs) and once you have given them access to your tree, they will take all your data and add to theirs and you will never hear from them again.

Then there is the occassional gem, I have 3 of those found via Genes. But the rest were pretty useless, promising photos etc., oddly after I had sent them copies of my family photos they never contacted me again. Sadly you learn the hard way in this game.

Thanks for replies. Yes the person did send a message saying we share a lot of ppl and asked to view my tree to compare. I opened it for them and requested theirs. They still haven't replied or opened their tree to me so I've stopped mine until I hear from them. Just thought I was being a bit unkind but it has taken me years of research and feel a bit miffed if they are copying it all with no feedback!

Yes the auto message "Can I see your tree" has now been removed....but there are still auto messages for not my relation/ancestor, can I have more details, plus tree request when you reply to a message

LOL - wrong glasses on :-D

Someone said the auto request to view the tree has been turned off. If that hadn't been mentioned, I would have assumed that it was a pre-programmed message and reply :-(

That's 5 DET :-D

Did they actually type any message or just used to auto message?


I wouldn't open my tree to anyone either...not that I have a tree worth looking at on here

No you aren't, although someone has said that certain iPhones do seem to give the impression that a message has been read.

Remove access to your tree and send a message asking for more details.

A couple of days ago, someone sent a message 'May I see your Tree' with only the name of the supposed connection in the title.

I sent a long message back explaining that I don't open it to anyone at all, but giving all details of the parents, childrem and their marriages.
Their reply? Four words - "This is not my relation".

Oh well!

I opened my tree to someone a couple of days ago as I had a message and it seems we have the same relations, I also requested to view their tree. I keep checking and they still haven't opened it to me although they have opened my message. I just feel a bit miffed that they have all my information without sharing. Am I being too impatient?