Ancestors' details removed
I haven't been on the Family Search site in about 2 years, but we had a death in the family recently and I ran across some photos and details that I wanted to upload.
I found that several people in my line appeared to have been deleted. I thought that was odd, but then found that someone had changed all the names to just 'X' and they had detached all the relationships and sources, making it almost impossible to find. Once I figured out what was going on I could search thru the documents and then restore most of the data but this has taken me a day and half to fix. These are ancestors from the 19th century.
I reported this as Abuse to the site but was told this activity wasn't categorized as abuse.
Has anyone else encountered this? The activity looked very malicious to me.
Answers
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I have not encountered this, but since the trees/people in FamilySearch are not private, some things get changed that may not be intended by everyone. Please send me the PID of the person in question and I may be able to help you further. I haven't encountered a persons file that just says X so this is very interesting to me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Carol
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I think I have restored most of the information but look at the history of this PID: L7JH-KZV
You can see where the name was changed to 'X' and all the vital information and relationships were removed. This happened to many, many of my ancestors! So frustrating!
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I can definitely understand your frustration. Have you contacted "Frederick" who submitted the original changes and asked for some reason why? Probably done in error and didn't know how to fix it, so just left it. I am so sorry for your frustration, but definitely understand it.
All I can suggest is make sure you keep a separate file that you know to be correct. I have had to do that on my lines. Carol
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I did sent a message to "Frederick" but not expecting to receive a response. I, too, thought maybe it was done in error but it would have taken so long to manually remove all those details from all those individuals and change the names, that it simply cannot be a mistake.
Thanks for your support.
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Sheryl
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You are not alone ...
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We have ALL (well, most of us) encountered this a some stage or other ...
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In one case it took me two (x2) solid Weeks to separate to different Families into their respective individual Family units.
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I will not use the "A..." word.
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But, suffice to say that 'FamilySearch' will NOT take action in that respect unless the "A..." is personal and directed towards you by the other User/Patron.
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'FamilySearch' wants us to "Collaborate" with the other User/Patron; and, will only intervene if that "Collaboration" goes 'awry' ...
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It is most likely that there was no "m.." intent; except, to fix the records to the way they thought the records should be ...
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It is 'human nature' ... most believe that they are correct and others are wrong.
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You eventually, 'grow a thick skin'; and, just get on with just addressing/fixing things.
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Sometimes, you have to "Change" it back again a couple of times, until the other User/Patron tired.
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Here is a "Knowledge" Article in 'FamilySearch'.
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Brett
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Thanks, Brett. It was eye opening, for sure. I have flagged all my ancestors so I can 'watch' them and be alerted if there are any changes. *Sigh*.
It just boggles my mind that someone would take so much time to just try to ruin what many poured their hearts and souls into.
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It is as if they were trying to eliminate the person, but they couldn't do it so they just changed the name and removed all the details. And it wasn't just for this person. It was for many!
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Sheryl
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"Watching" (oops ... sorry ... "Following") the important Ancestors (a maximum of up to 4000) is the way to go.
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I "Check" my "Watch" List of the "Changes to People I'm Watching" EVERY day (sometimes twice or more, a day), just to keep on top of things.
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This is much better that waiting for the "Weekly" E-mail from 'FamilySearch' of "Changes to People I'm Watching".
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I can keep onto of any serious changes; and, usually, 'stymie' them before they get 'out of hand'.
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You have it all wrong, in most cases ('most', being the operative word), they are NOT trying to 'ruin' the records ...
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In most cases, they are trying to "Change" the details to what they think/feel/believe (or, even, what family folk-law states) is correct; that is despite, whether or not, such can be proven. PLUS, despite ALL of the "Documentation" and "Sources" attached to the ORIGINAL individual/person ALREADY in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
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And, in most cases, the 'devastation' is caused by new or inexperienced Users/Patrons ...
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Sometimes, even unintentionally by (so-called) experienced Users/Patrons ...
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'Eliminate', is a good term.
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Perhaps, they did not want the individual/person 'found'.
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Luckily, if you have them on your "Watch" List, you will not lose them.
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Perhaps, they did not want them found; so that, they could not be "Merged"/"Combined", latter down the track.
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You never what others are thinking.
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Pouring our hearts and souls into our, immediate Family; extended Family; and, Ancestors, is what we do, well some of us ...
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What I dislike most, is the "Original" individual/person in "Family Tree" being the "Deleted" (ie. "Archived") record.
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I would prefer that by 'convention', that the "Original" individual/person ALREADY in "Family Tree", MUST be the "Surviving" record, rather than NEWER ones.
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I know that is what I always try and do.
(And, I have "Reversed" a few "Merges"/"Combines", so such is the case).
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As I have said, many times before ...
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They do so ... just so that, THEIR "Record", appears in "Family Tree" ... so that their 'Name' is 'up in lights', so to speak.
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Unfortunately, many 'see' their family history through 'rose coloured glasses'; and, like to 'whitewash' the parts that they do not like or want to 'see'.
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Brett
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ps:
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And, as you can gather, I dislike the "Social Media" connotation of "Following" ... we are "Watching", we are not following.
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Genealogy/Family History is NOT ... "Social Media", I wish they would 'steer clear' of trying to make it such, for the ... 'popular vote'
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@SherylHelt you have received some good suggestions from both @Carol Ann1 and @Brett . Also, if you don't already, I would suggest that you maintain your own personal database such as Roots Magic or Ancestral Quest or similar programs.
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