Constant alterations and harrasment
I am a female member of the Church and have been for over 30 years. All that time I have worked on my Family Line and carried out the work in the Temple. A man in his late 70's has come onto the site, who is not a member of the Church, and who keeps changing my family line and changing my great great grandfather based on documents of a child who has no parents or a marriage where the groom has no Father documented. No one knows who they are linked to and neither does this person. The line will be changed a few times a "day" and I have to restore it to what it should be. I receive e-mails harassing and insisting I speak to him. I do not know him. When I ignore the messages my family line is distorted and keeps on being distorted to get me to contact him. This wont be happening. The line has to be corrected because of the link and work carried out and the work to be carried out.
Best Answers
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First, you are not alone. It sounds like no contact with this person is a good idea. Some things you might do, while maintaining no contact, that could help:
- Try to dismantle brick walls in this person's ancestry so they stop trying to glom onto yours. Give them a better alternative. Do this from a different login.
- Find someone else, perhaps an older male, to talk to this person.
- Don't watch the pages being edited by this person, turn off as many notifications as possible so their edits are less irritating, and ignore them for weeks or months at a time while you go on about your own work. Family Tree does not need to be maintained in a constant state of perfect order. This may also allow other contributors opportunity to carry some of the load.
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Here are somethings you can do. First have to used the family search message system. If you have not we suggest that you do so. We ask that you go to the help center and search for messages. The URL for this is https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/search?q=messages
Then communicate with the person that is making the changes you know to be wrong. If that person replies then keep those replies and if that person continues to make those wrong changes, then post here all the communications that pertain to the changing of the information. We then need the ID or IDs of the affected Ancestor and what is correct and what the other person is changing. We also need your documentational proof of the correct information and if the other person has their documentation as in documents of a child who has no parents or a marriage where the groom has no Father documented, then we need that as well.
Make sure you put in the name or ID of that person. Once you do that we can then handle the details from here.
We need as much accurate information about this situation as possible. The more the better.
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Amanda
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
You are not alone ...
Many of us have ... been there ... done that ... and, still do ...
Further to what has already been proffered ...
And, really to somewhat to consolidate that ...
[ And, as I have proffered on occasion ... ]
As you will no doubt be aware ...
Technically there is no way to STOP another User/Patron working along the SAME 'Ancestral" Lines.
As, "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', is Built on a "Open Edit" Platform - hence, why any registered User/Patron can "Edit" (ie. Add, Delete; and/or, Change) ANY "Deceased" individual/person, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'.
Now ...
That Said ...
Do not disappear ...
There are some, actions that one can take; and, options available ...
Here are some "Knowledge Articles" in 'FamilySearch', that somewhat addresses your problem/issue.
[ And, below are references to "Knowledge Articles" in 'FamilySearch' that have already been provided ... ]
Here is the FIRST "Knowledge Article":
[ But, your particular situation/circumstance, has gone beyond this following "Knowledge Article" ... ]
How can I prevent other people from making inaccurate changes to Family Tree?
Now ...
After that ...
As you can 'see', "Collaboration" needs to be undertaken.
But, when "Collaboration" FAILS; and, provided that there is NO "Abuse" ...
Then, there is this "Knowledge Article" in 'FamilySearch':
How do I report changes or problems made by other contributors?
that comes to the fore ...
In particularly, the last sentence in that "Knowledge Article"; which, is very IMPORTANT:
Quote
------------------
If you have questions regarding inadvertent, suspicious or potentially malicious errors in records that you are unable to resolve per the instructions above, contact FamilySearch Support.
------------------
But ...
That Said ...
Your particular situation/circumstance, may really border on that of "Abuse".
As Such ...
This "Knowledge Article" in 'FamilySearch':
How do I report abuse, spam, inappropriate memories, and other content?
comes to the fore.
Now ...
All That Said ...
As such ...
IF, you have undertaken "Collaboration" with the particular User/Patron in question, causing concern; and, that "Collaboration" has FAILED (eg. NO Response); and/or, there is "Abuse"; THEN, you can, either,
(1) For a "Private" communication ...
Contact 'FamilySearch' "Support" DIRECTLY via the,
(a) Telephone; and,
(b) an "Live ('On-Line') "Chat"
To keep the communication "Private", if you are directed back to this "Community.FamilySearch" Forum, insist that you do not want to do so; and, prefer that the matter be handled "Privately".
Whereas,
(2) For a communication is "Public" view ...
'Post' HERE in "Community.FamilySearch" Forum; and, HOPEFULLY, the "Moderators" [ ie. 'FamilySearch' "Support" (Personnel) ] HERE in this Forum, can TAKE the MATTER directly into the workings of 'FamilySearch' "Support", to help/assist you; and, communicate with you "Privately" via/through either, ("Private") 'Messaging' in 'FamilySearch' (or, the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum); and/or, DIRECT "E-mail".
And ...
IF, you want, keep any 'Post' here, in the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum, to a minimum, devoid of, "Personal" Information about one's self; and, even, not providing information about any Ancestors, just a precis of the matter; and, requesting a "Private" communication directly from 'FamilySearch' "Support" (Personnel).
Remember:
You are not alone ...
Most of us have ... been then ... done that ... still do.
Plus, it is a 'Slow' process, the whole thing often takes some time, to resolve.
Good Luck.
I hope this also helps, somewhat.
Brett
2
Answers
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It is so frustrating to work diligently in Family Tree and then have someone you don't even know change what you have entered and sourced.
We appreciate that it is disheartening to have to reverse incorrect information, but collaboration is one of the best ways to try to resolve problems created by other users. You may want to review the knowledge article below which provides some other suggestions like working through discussions if you do not wish to collaborate by email; and like providing good sources to verify the relationships and information you enter about your ancestors.
You can also use the "Follow" feature so that you are made aware of changes others make. At the bottom of this knowledge article you will find an embedded link that explains how to handle issues that you believe constitute abuse of the system, however, that article does explain that just making changes, even unsupported changes, is not abuse since Family Tree is a shared Worldwide Tree that everyone can work in and edit.
Some guests prefer to work with a third-party software program where they can keep a personal Family Tree that cannot be changed by others. There are several programs listed in the Solutions Gallery under Family Tree Management that are designed to sync information between that program and Family Tree. This process allows you to work quickly in both programs if you do find you need to make corrections. The Solutions Gallery can be accessed through a link at the bottom of most Family Tree pages.
We appreciate your concern and hope you will consider working with the person who is making changes as collaboration with extended family members who share common ancestors is the best way to improve the integrity of the information that is in Family Tree. We wish you success with your continued family history efforts.
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Because this discussion is actually about working in Family Tree, we will be moving it to the Community Family Tree Help Center Category instead of the FamilySearch Community category which is really used to share concerns about working in the Community setting. Don't be alarmed when you see this discussion closed in the FamilySearch Community category. Click the title of the discussion and you will be redirected to the Family Tree category where you will find the discussion open and active.
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Thank you for your comment. I did try and work with the person who was distorting my family line but they were very impolite and came across aggressive at times. I am quite a few years younger than this person and because I could not liaise with them anymore because of their behaviour I was threatened that the family line would be changed if I did not speak to them! I soon realised this was not to do with family search or linking family members together. Other people came on board and agreed what should be set out and what should be linked separately because of various discrepancies, which is what I had suggested, but the person has ignored this. As I do a lot of Temple work myself and they are nothing to do with the Church this person does not appreciate the importance of having the right connection that is backed up with Census, Marriage Certificates and Death Certificates, nor do they want to. It is a strange situation and I have been advised not to interact with the person but my family line continues to be affected. I have to keep changing it back. When someone can add to something and all the dates fit and it helps that is great but this is sadly not the case.
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@CDBurk gave you great information. I know you are frustrated and want your tree to be correct. As a member of the church you have access to Ancestry. You can have your tree there, work on it, change it, do whatever needs to be done. No other person can change the information. Here are some links and information about ancestry.
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It sounds like you have tried to work with the person in question. You will want to read the article about what constitutes abuse since threatening behavior is not appropriate in Family Tree. Should you decide to report your correspondence with this person as abusive behavior based upon the threats or unkind messages to you, there is a Report Abuse link on the right side of the details page of each of our ancestor's records in Family Tree. As you click that link you are reminded of the following:
Report Abuse
You are about to report abuse of our code of conduct, found in the Conditions of Use. All reports are confidential. We will review this report and decide whether to delete the reported item. Until this review occurs, the reported item is not displayed in the system. If the status change is approved, you will be notified by e-mail.
Offensive Wording
Spam or Advertising
Political Statement
Inappropriate Statement
Other
The knowledge article from our Help Center that might be useful to review is found through the URL below
Any tickets that are created directly in Family Tree are forwarded to the specialty team that can review any information you provide. Best wishes in all you do within Family Tree.
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Remember that non-members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (like myself) cannot see information in the FSFT about ordinances. Many of them, and that included me when I first started using FSFT, have no idea about LDS ordinances and that Latter Day Saints use the FSFT for ordinances. So maybe this user doesn't know about ordinances and how offended you are when these are affected. But I suppose it's also possible that he's doing it deliberately so that ordinances are not performed.
It's also worth knowing that Latter Day Saints are a minority of the users of FS- about 1/3 according to a FS staff member on this forum's precedessor about 2 years ago. So be prepared to interact with people from a range of religious beliefs when you use FSFT.
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Thank you. I associate with many non members and those who do not have a faith at all and we all enjoy each others contribution to family lines and experiences. This experience is nothing like that. This is a very destructive person who enjoys it and will destroy my family line proving me with another great great grandfather that is not correct and then e-mailing me to tell me they have done it! Not what people would usually do, very strange behaviour.
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Thank you so much for your comments. Sadly this person seems to be linked on my life so it is surprising he takes great joy in moving people around based on a marriage or a death but that proof shows the people were born different years, there is no father and no parents to see which link it is in connection with. They write nearly a book to prove their theory but it all wrong and not correct. Others have come in and corrected what was wrong and agreed with me but the next day he will go back in and remove it. I have had e-mails saying if I wont speak to him he will alter the family line. I did endeavour to liaise with him initially when he contacted me but he quite impolite and started harassing me. Some of the family say it is like being stalked. You are right at not watching it all the time. That can be quite hard but you are definitely right.
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Thank you Deb. That is very helpful x
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Trust me! You aren’t alone! I can sympathize with you! Feel free to send me a private message!
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In a situation like this, it would be wise to treat any invitations or private messages with suspicion.
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Thank you so much. It is greatly appreciated
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Thank you soooo much
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Not a problem!😀😀😀😀
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I know I feel the exact same way. I have put most of the information on my own Family Tree years ago as others have done with theirs but I have always been open to listening to someone if they have found some information they feel might be helpful. But these rude and impolite messages, deleting and changing things around and marrying someone off to someone without any evidence is ridiculous. I am just glad I am not on my own with this frustrating situation. This community thread has certainly helped me 🙃
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Hang in there! I am here for you!
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Thank you
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Thank you. Same here 😊
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I sent you a private message.
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Thank you so much
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