Indexing Question
We have recently had someone access my personal family line and change many of my direct descendants to people I've never heard of. Some of the names associated with the ID numbers were actually changed to other names. When we contacted this person they indicated that they got the information from the indexing program. We were told to take it up with Family Search...which is really not possible. We have MANY years of records and sources that show our work is correct. We have family records and photo albums as sources. How can we prevent things like this from happening again? Thanks for your help!!
Answers
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@KandisGlasgow KandisGlasgow I am so sorry for all of the frustration that this is causing you. It can be so hard.
The purpose of the indexing program is to make records available for others to research and then researchers may attach the records to each person page in the family tree. We take data from a record and input it into the online program. We do not add it to the family tree, nor do we change the family tree.
There is a place on each person page for you to report abuse. It is along the right side of each page - about half way down. Please do call FamilySearch as well and work with them.
I am going to move your question over to the @FamilySearch Family Tree group so that they can walk you through this process and give you other tips on how to navigate through the shared tree and ways to preserve your information.
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It is essesntial to understand - in using FamilySearch Family Tree, it is our responsibility to ensure all the facts recorded - names, dates, places and relationships - have every source attached that we can find - this may be from FamilySearch collections, other 3rd party web sites or documentation - histories, certificates etc that we have uploaded as Memories and Sources - no fact should be used without sources or a reasoned statement that gives the fact credence.
If we do not do that - we must be ready for others to hi-jack our ancetsral data to fit another scenario.
Nevertheless, ofcourse, data can be changed despite the presence of seemingly adequate source data - in which case - a first consideration is - have I got it wrong; beyond that, immediate communication with the interloper to provide sources that justify the change with the message that failing the production of satisfactory sources your only option is to restore the Tree to what it was before.
Leading to a secondary potential problem - do you have a "back-up" of what was there before?
Serious researchers need such a back-up - alternatives are - in no priority order - (1) FS Family Tree kept in tandem with a PC based software package - (2) FS Family Tree kept in tandem with a 3rd party private tree (ancestry etc) - (3) maintain a catalogue of Family Group reports in pdf format - generated by FamilySearch following each round of updates.
So, in summary - (1)make it difficult for interlopers by loading in every single source, document and photo you have - (2)- immediate response asking for their sources with a deadline for when you will restore the situation back to what it was (vague talk of indexing does not cut it) - (3) make sure you have a back-up.
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Heather
Unfortunately, your advice to report this as abuse is not correct. If you have been following other posts in the Community forum recently you will see that, if you do this, you will receive a "copy & paste" response from Support advising this sort of behaviour does NOT constitute abuse.
Sadly, FamilySearch does not consider it important to dedicate any resources to either the monitoring of, or acting on direct reports of, work that is proving damaging to the Family Tree project.
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True, this will work in many cases. But, as long as FamilySearch refuses to take sanctions against "persistent offenders" there will continue to be certain users who will continue to ignore any protocol and make their changes regardless.
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