Uneasy about online tree

[stonechat]

Peoples family tree online are on

• Their Websites - try googling
• Ancestry - as mentioned
• World connect  - http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/
• Many other sites such as GR and lost cousins

Bob

[kerryb]

I recently had contact with someone by email about a part of my family and after a few emails back and forth sent her part of my tree with an email saying 'this is what I have so far' much of it is probably not correct, given it by other people and I am still working on it so don't take it as gospel'. 

Imagine my surprise this week when I found her on Ancestry and found that part of my tree in its entirity on the Public Tree section. 

That is it, I am not giving anyone else my tree!!!!!! I'm just glad I have replaced all living people with the name Living. 

Kerry    Empty of Christmas spirit!!!!!

[julianb]

Imagine my surprise this week when I found her on Ancestry and found that part of my tree in its entirity on the Public Tree section.

This is all very depressing.   

It does make me think about whether I should continue with my current approach - which is to publish stuff I am confident about on my RootsChat FH website. 

The one saving grace with that approach is that it is not in gedcom format and anyone wanting to copy has to re-key everything.   

Problem is that the website has proved to be a very good way of exchanging and discussing info with 4th-6th cousins.

JULIAN

[KathMc]

I think that if you don't have a problem with people hijacking information, correct or not, then don't worry about it. If you have had success, then I would continue. It's all a personal choice. And most people are good and will talk to you first (did I tell you my middle name was Pollyanna?  ).

Kath

[wrjones]

Lets have no more revelations like that Kath!Seriously though,What I can see are two kinds of Genealogists emerging;Those like myself who are happy to "publish and be damned",and not be concerned about exposure.The advantages in this approach,is that you make more contacts and therefore make more advances in your Family History.On the other hand being more cautious,about exposure.I must say.that if I had adopted this approach,I would still be where I started off;not knowing the proper names of my four Grandparents!

Regards
William Russell Jones
Cefn Mawr
Wrexham.

[cando]

Hi all

I get annoyed at finding my living relatives on other people's trees and the connection is usually very, very remote.  Do some people collect 'numbers'??   

I received an email in response to my request to remove my father's name as he is well and truly alive and this 'person' wrote "I thought he would be dead".   

No wonder my progress is quite slow as I try to verify all my data.  I have seen quite a lot of my family all entered with ??......?? and lots of guesses at where and when they died.....honestly.  Why bother placing the data on the net if it isn't correct.  I notice that the same errors have occurred on various trees - do they just copy one another's data? 

I have not placed any of my info on the net as I am at the piles and piles of paper stage.  I have only recently started to enter data onto a software programme.  In a perfect world

Enough grizzling

Cheers and Season's Greetings
Cando

[MarkyP]

I have to admit to putting a tree up on ancestry using the research of others. I have kept it private though, only inviting those that have contributed to see it. I was under the impression that you wouldn't see the details of anyone who is still living, and having done a quick search I don't appear to be there! Only scrolled through a 1000 names though 

The research that has been done by others has been added to my tree with their full knowledge and I wouldn't dream of making it public without their consent. Also they have added stuff to their trees that I have done.

As mentioned in my post in the main Common Room forum if it hadn't of been for making a discovery through a simple google search I would still be pulling my hair out. This work, submitted on a webpage by a distant cousin was prayer answered. I do though always check everything myself, make sure that I have the correct sources and still have issues with everything that's on the page (for the life of me I can't find where they got some of their information from  ).

I suppose it depends on how proprietary you are with the information gathered and your reasons for doing genealogy. I have no qualms about sharing my information but can see why some people would get upset at having their work shown. Perhaps there might be a copyright issue, I'm not a lawyer, and you should be duly referenced like any other author would be in a written, quoted work. I do notice that with the recent changes on ancestry you are able to write a little introductory piece on your submitted tree, an ideal opportunity to reference others.

[downside]

SuttonTrust

OK what if your cousin had asked your permission to display your research on ancestry.com? 

downside

[MarkyP]

Hello Downside, not totally sure what you mean. But if it's what I think, I would have no problem with any work that I have done being shown by anyone else.