WikiTree

Users requesting membership in the WikiTree community are asked to commit to a nine-point Honor Code that encourages collaboration, accuracy, and the use of sources and citations.[8] Courtesy in dealing with other members, consideration of copyrights, and respect for the privacy of others are also among the values set forth in the Honor Code.[9]

WikiTree's privacy controls allow users to protect their personal information, and that of their more recent ancestors and descendants, while providing the ability to publicly share and collaborate on historical data related to their more distant forebears.[10][11] Each profile is managed by one or more profile managers, and other members who may be related or willing to share information about that person can be added to the profile's "Trusted List".[12] Members of a profile's Trusted List have full access to view and edit details on the page, regardless of the privacy level, and all changes are tracked for future reference. WikiTree maintains seven different profile privacy levels[13]

A distinctive aspect of the collaborative nature of WikiTree, which has raised some controversy, is that profiles of people who were either born more than 150 years ago or who have been deceased for more than 100 years are open for editing by any member who is a Wiki Genealogist (meaning they have agreed to and signed the Honor Code). As with all contributions to WikiTree, members are requested to provide source citations to justify their changes, but sources are not always provided. Because of the collaborative nature of WikiTree, members who have documented the genealogy of their family are expected to work on open profiles in conjunction with other members to ensure the information provided is as accurate as possible. When it comes to disputes over what information is correct, any sources that are provided are used to find the definitive answer. The community developed a conflict escalation process to help with the resolution of such disputes[14].

Recognizing that in some cases this openness can lead to unwanted and unwarranted additions to the global family tree, the volunteer leaders at WikiTree have created procedures for working with two special categories of ancestor profiles. Members must now pass a self-evaluated quiz to edit profiles of persons whose birth year is from 1500 to 1699, which includes most of the early colonial period in the Americas. Members can “pass” this test by demonstrating they have read the WikiTree source and editing guidelines. As of January 2016, a more stringent evaluation, based on a member's demonstrated genealogical experience and ability to work cooperatively, is now required to edit profiles of persons born before 1500.[15] This process attempts to strike a balance between open and collaborative editing and the desire to strive for historical accuracy and credibility within the genealogical community.

The WikiTree site emphasizes the building of a shared, worldwide family tree. Members do not maintain individual trees, but instead contribute to a single collaborative tree. The site's goal is to have one profile for every person, whether living or dead. Duplicate profiles are merged and the information is consolidated, connecting different family branches in the process.[16]

The site maintains a page of “frequently asked questions” (FAQs) and a “genealogist to genealogist” (G2G) forum that allows users to get answers and help with both genealogical and technical questions. Points and badges are awarded to members who answer questions and contribute information to the site. Additionally, the site is managed by a team of volunteer leaders and mentors that serves the community in a variety of capacities, in particular with helping users gain proficiency in using the system.[17]

Wikidata has the property: WikiTree person ID (P2949) (see uses)

• Official website