What do I do with user who keeps taking families apart based on DNA??
I have messaged her and we have talked back and forth but now she just ignores me and takes the family all apart again. She takes the wife off of the husband and all of the children off of the family and floats them out in space with out any parents or connections. She states that it is all based on her DNA. She even demands that I don't add any connections that are not biological to her grandmother. I have explained numerous times how family search works but she doesn't care.
Answers
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Dee
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
Just in passing ...
You are not alone ...
Many of us have been there ...
"Edit Wars" ... the "Bane", of the "Family Tree" Part, of 'FamilySearch' ...
One of the misfortunes ... of working, in a SINGLE "One" World "Tree" ...
Unfortunately ...
In most cases, it is "Survival" of the MOST "Persistent" ...
ie. Never give in, never give up, just keep "Changing" things back again ...
Provided, that there is NO "Abuse", more often than not, that is ALL, that one can do ...
But ...
That Said ...
Unless, there is actual "Abuse" involved, 'FamilySearch' rarely, if ever, steps in ...
The EXPECTATION being, that the Users/Patrons, WILL (or, at least, SHOULD) work it out, amicably ...
[ Yeh, right ... as if, that ever happens ... ]
More often than not, it is just a matter of ... the "Survival" ... of the MOST "Persistent" ...
Unless, of course, things get "Nasty"; and, 'FamilySearch' MUST 'Step In' ...
Even then, it can be a long ... 'drawn out' process ...
Where, in the end, there are NO "Winners", no matter, who is right; and, who is wrong ...
Just my thoughts.
Now ...
That Said ...
There are some, actions that one can take; and, options available for you to pursue through 'FamilySearch' "Support"...
Here are some "Knowledge Articles" in 'FamilySearch', that somewhat addresses your problem/issue.
Here is the FIRST "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
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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.
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But ...
That Said ...
Once a particular situation/circumstance, really borders on that of "Abuse" ...
There is this "Knowledge Article", in 'FamilySearch':
How do I report abuse, spam, inappropriate memories, and other content?
that 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).
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Hopefully, a "Moderator" [ ie. 'FamilySearch' "Support" (Personnel) ], here in this Forum, WILL take this matter of yours, into the Workings, of 'FamilySearch' "Support", to better assist you.
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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 know, that this certainly may not help/assist; but, I hope, that this may provide you with, some additional, insight; and, perspective; plus, an avenue to pursue.
Brett
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Have you told her it is possible to have multiple parent-child relationships? One can be the biological relationship, confirmed by DNA, the other can be an adoption or the legal but non-biological parents.
If the biological parent of someone had been misidentified and DNA had found the correct parent, then disconnecting a relationship may be justified, but disconnecting a lawfully married wife and husband is certainly not.
Unfortunately there is little that can be done. There is a very high bar for FamilySearch to intervene and suspend this user's account. You will have to be persistent and not give in to her requests not to make certain edits. But do keep in mind it will be distressing for her if DNA has contradicted what she thought she knew about her family.
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Commiserations for the situation.
Maybe you can put this to your relative . . .
What is a family? Is it a group of people who are related by DNA? Is it a group of people who lived as a family? Or is it both??
I like @A van Helsdingen solution - why not document both?
I have a DNA connection to an ancestor. I don't consider him to be a part of my family. That is my view, but I can see that others will see it differently. I am happy for ALL relationships to be documented. I can choose which parent relationships I prefer.
All the best
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Another thing to try to communicate to this person is that the DNA tests taken by modern descendants do not and cannot tell the whole story.
For starters, not everyone has taken a test. Many people just aren't interested, and there are countries where DNA testing is not legal. Some people get around such rules by taking advantage of the internationality of the internet, but most people are not motivated to break the law like that for something that is, when you come down to it, for entertainment only.
Another basic fact is that DNA is not labeled. The testing company can't tell you which part of which chromosome came from which of your parents unless both of your parents have tested, too. (Just one isn't enough, because your parents could match along any particular segment that you got.) The various companies try to make such "which side?" determinations, but it is not the DNA telling them most of it -- it's the associated user-input family trees. This means that if someone came to an erroneous conclusion, and then other users (dutifully) propagated that error, the DNA reports will make it seem like the genetics support the error -- when in fact they don't, at all.
And don't even get me started on how all of the companies would state with 100% certainty that my sister is my child's mother. (We're identical twins.)
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Another basic fact is that DNA is not labeled. The testing company can't tell you which part of which chromosome came from which of your parents unless both of your parents have tested, too.
Just an FYI: AncestryDNA has a new analysis, SideLines, that uses a total evidence approach to decide which of your alleles came from which parent.
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She states that it is all based on her DNA.
Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but it does not matter. If her edits clearly conflict with the historical record then she is vandalizing the tree.
What is she doing with the sources attached to these profiles?
I have dealt with a contributor who did this. Their motive apparently was to have their own private tree here just like on Ancestry, so they could harvest historical records here. They kept chopping off branches, and to stop Research Hints from revealing the resulting duplicate profiles they even put false names on some profiles. Their tree had some significant discrepancies from historical records, which led to conflict with other contributors trying to work on their own families. Family Tree staff have been very responsive about helping to repair this vandalism.
You are welcome to message me if you would like more direct support.
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