Soapbox for the day. . .

nope, not Ancestry or RootsMagic, you two can breathe easy for this post, but World Vital Records however tries to pull a fast one!

Here's what happened: I did a basic internet search for an obituary.  World Vital Records shows up with the obituary I am probably looking for and a "Free 3-day Trial."  Alright, they get my email address, I get 3 free days, fair is fair and I get put on another mailing list.  So, I fill out the following information:

Then I click the green continue box, and this is what I get:
Yep, now they want my credit card information for my "FREE 3-Day Trial" which I can cancel at anytime.  I immediately exit out of the site knowing they now have my email for "free" and I did not get my "free" trial.

I don't believe this is playing nice.

I will go somewhere else and PAY for the darn obituary.

So, today I check my email and guess what, yep you guessed it, I am getting spam emails from "World Vital Records."  Goodie, I really wanted to be added to another mailing list.  I was okay with exchanging my email for a "free" trial, but not okay with them stealing it!  Not nice!

Not a happy genealogist about the whole situation!  If you want to check out my story you to can visit their site here and try it for yourself.  Just wanted to give a warning out there so you too don't get duped!

In other news. . . remember my post dated 21 February 2012 where I reviewed Eastman's online newsletter?   Well, I signed up for the newsletter thinking it would be a good idea, and what I have gotten is an email a day (and some days I believe I have gotten two, but I'm not certain).  Yep, a full inbox of genealogy newsletters that continue to clog my email.  I have not tried to get off this particular email list, however when I have tried with other auto emails I have been unsuccessful, so I am not holding my breath.

So, my recommendation about Eastman's, just visit his site periodically to see what is new and forgo the electronic newsletter.  The good news about Eastman's is I have been signed up for over a month and my email address has not been "sold" or given away to any other genealogy advertisers.

Finally, my last soapbox is to my readers.  Someone has taken all of my "genealogy" on this site or NewFamilySearch and added it to one of the pay world pedigree trees out there.  That angers me for several reasons and here they are:
  1. I have put the information out there to SHARE because I want all of the descendants out there to have access to the information. 
  2. It is NOT okay for a business to make money off of my research.  I don't care what they offer.  It is not right.  I did the research and I want it FREE.  I bear the initial cost.  It costs me to research and it costs me to print and mail the newsletter.  I have terrific family members who contribute to help offset the fees acquired and I appreciate their help.  Which is another reason why it angers me that a business is making money off of my research. 
  3. If/when/and one day, I may have to CORRECT my information because it is wrong I cannot take back the information that I did not put out there.  If the information is on my site or where I put it then, I can make corrections.  If it isn't then I cannot make the corrections.  This in turn makes me VERY cautious about what I release, for example Hugh & Margaret's marriage certificate.
  4. If you want a copy of what I have let me know, then if you want to put it on a site we can discuss it.  That way, I know who to contact if my information is wrong.  Don't steal it.  In fact I have given my permission for my research to be added to a site.  I was approached and permission given, but stealing really, so a business who regurgitates information can sell it and make money?
  5. I put the information on NewFamilySearch because it is available to everyone and I know it will always be free.  I can correct or add to it if I need too.  (In the beginning FamilySearch was not available to everyone because of the testing, but it should be available to everyone now.)  FamilySearch does not charge a fee and won't charge a fee for access.
So, if this was you, contact me please so that we can resolve this. 

I don't "own" our ancestors and but I do "own" the research I have done.  I "own"  the 1,200+ copies of sources and documents I have.  I "own" the trips to the county court houses, and cemeteries.  I "own" the hours upon hours upon hours of research I have done on this family.  I "own" the family connections I have been able to piece together over the past  17 years of research.

What I "own" I have chosen to share, FOR FREE.
And I would like to keep it free. 
I don't want to have to charge for the newsletter and I don't want to have this blog private to regulate who can have access to it. 

So, let us all play nice; don't steal my research and I'll keep it available to everyone!

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