So I ran into Wikitree and had an interesting time adding my ancestry on to it. I like it because it is public. Then one day I get an email. It indicated when I confirmed DNA I was doing it wrong. Apparently they have an App that confirms DNA connections. This is done by downloading DNA to their Database on Wiki. There is one problem with that, cited sources must be independent to be a true Wiki. Furthermore creating your own database and being your own source violates some very important ethics and is a form of corruption. When I informed them of this they banned me. It would seem the Wikitree has a slight ethical issue. I would expand in this article but it is going to require additional research. I just wanted to get it out there that the ethics of wiki seem to be eroding over time.
I also noticed the software they develop does not proper cite its sources as well. GNU licensing is ignored and is generally violating copyright law. At least from what I have seen so far.
As I go on to review this site and watch its internal processes I am beginning to see more and more cracks in “The wikitree”. When i went through a number of entries I wondering why there was so many abandoned names or profiles. How does one abandon the profiles themselves, or why would someone do that? Well it seems I found it. When challenging their DNA processes and the issue of Wiki citing themselves it would seem some people on the site decided to delete my profile entirely. This would be considered entirely racist as it seems white people control this site and aggressively protect it in some odd way. It would seem minorities are underrepresented among their sysops as well. I also went on to look at some of the Wikitree reviews posted on SiteJabber. Here is just a taste.
These are not even the worst of the comments, SiteJabber goes on to describe some actual scam that the sysops of wiki are running where you pay $149 for instruction from their professional genealogists through zoom. I am really concerned with some aspects of this site and that it is being used to scam people. Also I am concerned about the obvious racism of the admins. They seem to reject users and harass people for no reason. When I challenged John Kingman (project coordinator) about their DNA processes. He could not actually articulate an actual process and often contradicted himself. He started by asking for a retraction of this article, by the end he was happy with me not detailing every error he made at proving himself wrong. I believe to use the Wiki name there is minimum standards required. Impartiality of system administrators and fact based citing of sources and absolutely not citing yourself. Considering the reviews the low score on sites like sitejabber and the sites propensity to cite itself as a source. I believe the Wiki and use of the “Wiki” name has rules. They are as follows.
I hate to have to go down this road but the time as come for Wikitree to stop using the Wiki name. I believe Ward Cunningham should get involved and officially request they stop using the Wiki name for Wikitree. Call it FascistTree, or PowerTripTree, or any number of names that would be more appropriate for that site. But a Wiki it is not, they abuse the Wiki name to lure in unsuspecting people who think they abide by the rules set out for Wiki since before the site even existed. The time has come Wikitree, to move on, and stop using the name Wiki.
