Person does not collaborate and keeps putting incorrect details on FamilySearch
What do you do if someone ignores your messages, ignores reason statements, and keeps on changing relationships and vital information contrary to the sources? This person does this to several people I am related to. I am in a war with this person to have the correct details on these profiles, and it is never ending. I have sent a message to support too, but they basically only sent a link to https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-find-partner-products and https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-report-abuse-spam-inappropriate-memories-and-other-content (the second article was pasted in the email) when they replied to my support case. This did not help me.
The person keeps deleting the relationship to the parents of G44Z-WHQ and incorrectly adding the previous spouse of G4QY-58X's father as his mother, which comes up with a data problem. There are many other profiles he messes up, too, and when I correct them, a few days or so, he changes it back to be incorrect. I am grateful I have a third party app to keep track of these things, but I would like to have the correct info on FamilySearch for numerous reasons.
I feel like this person should be banned from FamilySearch, or at least suspended. In Terms of Use it says, "You agree to input data accurately to the best of your knowledge." And that is not happening! It is very frustrating.
It is very possible that this person uses a third party app to just send all of his information, whether correct or incorrect, to FamilySearch, which is why he does not respond, but still. Syncing is good, just not when you do not care about the information you override.
I think a suspension and a message sent to him for him to accept to be more responsible would help. (He would not be able to send his data over until he goes to the FamilySearch site and accepted the message or something.)
I still love FamilySearch, just there needs to be some action done to prevent total/partial misuse of the site.
I do also know that some records are locked from everyone, but I do not really want that to happen to these profiles...
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Indeed. If the person uses inflammatory language in his replies, or ridicules you, or is snarky, you can report this to FamilySearch.org by calling 866-408-1830. Press English, then press #1 and wait while nice music is played until you get a great FamilySearch Missionary. They are wonderful.
I've had that problem with a few of my more notorious family lines. Eventually I just figured out where their ancestors go and make a tree for them. Research and all. Because it can be very time consuming to try to reach them and get cooperation.
Then I message them and tell them with ID numbers where their tree is. I also attach sources if possible.
Good luck. It is annoying.
Anitra
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First, talk to the person. Get their phone number and call them up and talk to them, in the kindest and most gentle way possible ("Hey I see we are cousins and that you are interested in genealogy and just wanted to sped a few minutes with you - is this an ok time for you? (chatter a while, build a real relationship, after all you are related) ... hey I see you've been working on (person) and (state the facts, gently) and was wondering about the sources you are using for his (birth, marriage, whatever the issues is)... always remembering you are after TRUTH not just BEING RIGHT, and the THE RELATIONSHIP is more important than THE ISSUE.
Second, you could try using Ancestry.com as a backup for your family history, or one of the third party "Partner Products" - Ancestral Quest, Legacy or RootsMagic to back up your family history...at least you've got it regardless of how the wiki-like site we call FamilySearch Family Tree (anyone can change anything) is changed.
The FamilySearch Family Tree wiki-like architecture is both a tremendous strength in reaching the truth - we each have to enter data that is defensible and subject to review and correction by others - and a liability when we fall into the clutches of others who are - abusive. Bottom line: if what you are experiencing is abuse, do your very best to resolve it, and if you have done everything which could be reasonable expected - gone the extra 2 miles - then as a last resort document the abuse and report it to FamilySearch Support.
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George, Yeah I have not been able to get a response from the person. I've messaged them about numerous issues and I have left reasons why my info is correct. I've contacted FamilySearch Support and they are working on the issue. Not sure what they will do, though. I have gotten a call from Support from a supervisor where I explained the issue too. I let people know on here if the issue gets resolved.
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Hello @Jordi Kloosterboer
Did you ever get your situation with the other person making errors on the Family Tree you are working on worked out?
Please let us know. It's been awhile.
How is it going.
Anitra
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Yes, it seems he actually goes on the familysearch site now and is a sensible contributor now :)
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This appears to be an ongoing problem with some users. It all depends upon the offending user and their attitudes.
Some get offended that they have been called out about erroneous entries. Some are beginners and not aware of their actions and the problems being caused. Some are adamant that their information is correct and are determined to correct what they see as a problem.
What I have found to be effective is in the initial correspondence, I start by thanking them for wanting to make the record as complete as possible.
Then I go into the details of what I have found (unfortunately, I often have to write my message in Notepad or some other basic text editor because of the way that FamilySearch sets up the message screen -- something that has been mentioned before in these feedback/idea forums.
I sometimes need to provide a lot of background information and, at times, perform additional research to determine exactly what is going on. Note that I also maintain a separate local database using one of the fully-certified family tree programs. That and a similar tree in Ancestry, mostly to make use of the Ancestry hinting system and additional records not in FamilySearch.
Once I've indicated and justified what I have found to be accurate, I then let the other user know what actions I took and why I took them.
Finally, I again thank them for their interest in making the records of my ancestors as complete as possible.
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When it comes to dealing with an ongoing issue, I sometimes must point out the common nature of names, facts surrounding families who lived in the same geographical area for more than a century, and so on.
I also sometimes have to point out that FamilySearch FamilyTree is a single tree for all mankind and that there are no separate editable trees on FamilySearch.
I have run into only one situation where there was pushback, but in subsequent correspondence demonstrated why alternate data was not acceptable without sources and likely was for a difxferent person. The vast majority of responses are gratifyingly thankful for my assistance.
You might try my approach with the person, but I wouldn't count on it being effective.
Good Luck
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