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smithsworldwide (Admin)
FAQ: If a person writes in and asks that a line not theirs be removed, will the admins do it?

Posted by smithsworldwide in Smith DNA on November 19, 2021 Views:(113)  Replies (0)
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Answer: No. If you believe that there is information that needs correction or addition, as can happen, please go the page you see the error and send a message, along with source references, to info@smithsworldwide.org. Or you can  use the *suggest a change* which is on every page of the person or family information.

Likewise, anyone who has submitted a tree who now believes the information for their line is incorrect and needs to be updated can directly contact the site with the information, and that is the appropriate way to do it, rather than having a third party speak for the member(s). We do not change people's information without speaking, if possible, directly to the people who supplied it. Very often that person has spent a lot of time doing their own research and believes the line to be true. Understand that this doesn't mean all the time that a submitted line is always correct, and add the challenge where the line may indeed be correct but the DNA points to different parentage. If you know of people who you think are wrong, encourage them, since it is their line and they are the member, to send in a message with the correction, or you can do it yourself, with attached sources. Simply telling the admins to delete somebody will not work.
Example: Right now there is a line that, on DNA matches into a grouping but the line itself looks like it actually might go through some different people than the ones submitted. That member needs to let us know so we can update if it proves to be true. I also sent a message asking if there were changes that should be made. The corollary to this is if you know some items to be false or changed but do NOT either fix it yourself or send suggested changes to the project, the admins cannot be mind readers to somehow know the information needs updated.
Or anyone who sees a line that looks wrong can send in the proofs. Also recently have had two people who are not members send in some great information shedding light on two different families. In the first case, we sent out a message to everyone in that group and asked them to respond with whether it looked solid or not, and also spent time checking the information as much as possible, and then changed, with agreement, the line to show an earlier ancestor. On the other, it was apparent with the information sent that an assumption made by a different member was not correct. Adding that it is really good to have something that sort of walks a time line with sources.
Anyway, point is that it's one big tree but it may or may not be pristine, but that is, of course, why we have this project. We also believe in respect for the people who are participating.