Should I tell other genealogists when they have made a mistake?

[LouiseB31]

Good afternoon from a rainy Stockton on Tees

I have an ethical dilemma for which I feel in need of your wisdom and advice.

Sometimes after laborious and detailed research, I discover something elusive about an ancestor - it could be their spouse, parentage, birth, death, all manner of things, and then I see that other researchers looking into the same person have taken another route and come up with a different and wrong answer. Often I can see they have simply copied from someone else, or they have taken the easy option - it happened in the same county, or it's the only thing that came up in the first search, and it is something I know for certain is wrong, something I have been able to rule out during my own research. Maybe I have the certificate in my hand at that point, so I know for sure.

On Ancestry in particular the hints nearly always show at least one another researcher who you know has made a mistake.

Generally I have not done anything about that, just noticed it, possibly a wee bit smugly if I am honest, and then ignored it. "That's really not my problem".

However, having just cracked someone's parentage after 33 years of research, and knowing that many other people have the wrong parents on their tree, I suddenly feel as though perhaps I should say something. I could send people messages to alert them to the new information but I don't know if it is the right thing to do.

I think some genealogists would be angry, or at least cross, would challenge the facts, would doubt me, would feel it a personal slight that someone should suggest they had made a mistake. It's a bit like criticising the way someone drives I imagine.

On the other hand they are family tree enthusiasts who have cared enough to do the research and load up their tree, so wouldn't they care enough to want it to be a true reflection of their roots?

What would you do? Have you tried it? What happened?

I would appreciate your thoughts.

Thank you in advance for your engagement

[suzi600]

My G/father and his family are in my tree but also in another persons. They have added a middle name to my Gt. Uncle , obviously the wrong person and I also have wondered if I should inform them as they may be wasting their time following me and mine mmmmmmmmmmmm ?

[Ringrose]

So many mistakes are made...put on trees on Ancestry and then copied by others.Ive tried many times to get trees altered but often no notice is taken.Its not worth the effort....a good researcher will always make sure that he has real proof....Be satisfied with what you have done.
Rigrose

[stanmapstone]

This question has come up many times on RootsChat, for example this topic from 2010 "Correcting Internet trees".  http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=429963.msg2945542#msg2945542

Stan

[Andrew Tarr]

My brief answer would be - only if you are quite certain of your facts.  There is a great deal of misinformed nonsense in the public trees on Ancestry, and it can be hard to resist the urge to put someone else right.  I have done it a few times when I have private personal info which definitely disproves what is on display - and sometimes it has led to some mutual corrections.

It is often pretty clear which trees have been carefully compiled.  You could waste a lot of time trying to correct the others, and the owners often aren't easily swayed.  See the other threads, as has been said.

[3sillydogs]

Not everyone will take kindly to having an error in their tree pointed out by someone who is probably a complete stranger that just happens to be researching the same branch of the family.  It is the risk you take if you decide to help the person with the correct information. 

You could just pass it on and they then have the option to either use it or ignore it.  I would hope that they would use it as any serious genealogist would want their information to be as accurate as it possibly can be and if the information comes with supporting documents, sources etc then you would think they would be grateful, but with people you never know.

If you do decide to assist them with the information just be prepared for any of the reactions that you mentioned. 

[jess5athome]

Hi LouiseB31, I can see your dilemma, I have in the past contacted tree owners on Ancestry and politely informed them of a wrong fact on there tree and cited records etc to prove that I'm correct, some have replied with a courteous thank you and some have replied with a terse "I don't think so!"

I think the trouble is, is that it's easy to believe the majority are correct and the minority are wrong on public trees, a case in point is/was my 2 x Great Grandfather, when I started researching about 98% of the trees on Ancestry had him married to the wrong woman (and still do if I'm honest) even though I have contacted various owners .

At the end of the day the decision is yours to make but I fear you will unfortunately get what seems to be the universal responce from the majority of tree owners.

Just to add, if someone contacted me to point out a mistake in my research I would be over the moon 

Frank.

[smudwhisk]

In the past I've added a polite comment suggesting they may want to review their research and giving them the information.  These day's I rarely do, especially after ancestry upgraded the site because comments now aren't visible.  I tended to use comments rather than message them in case it meant a future researcher might just pay more attention and avoid the error themselves even if the tree owner didn't, but not now really much point.

[coombs]

Lots of people would rather foolishly take hearsay and assumptions over facts. So if you were to tell someone who is wrong they are wrong they may stick to their own blinkered view over accepting the truth. Well your descendants may be lead down the garden path if they take up our hobby and use your trees as gospel.