Every single day we get people asking seemingly simple questions that are being answered by people who know they're giving out references to bad websites in their answers. Is this really ethical? I'm trying to figure out if it's being done to be spiteful or just to get points at any cost.
Either way, why would anyone keep giving out bad information on purpose without any thought to how unethical it is?
2007-08-16 09:12:59 · 9 answers · asked by GenevievesMom 7 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Genealogy
So what do we do with all the bogus answers sending people to schlock sites like houseofnames.com, swyrich.com and the like?
The people giving the answers know these sites aren't reputable, but they're giving the links 10-20-40 times a day without a thought for how unethical it is to give people bad information from bad sites.
2007-08-16 09:49:30 · update #1
I know many Americans are unaware of the
phoniness of the surname product websites.
Many have heard that someone has a coat of arms they purchased and were told they could probably find their own on the web. There is a common misconception by many that everyone with the same surname is related. They know absolutely nothing about genealogy.
However, American genealogist have contempt for those peddlers of surname products. I can see where someone answering from the Home Screen who themselves don't know about the rules of heraldry giving a bad answer like that.
I am very surprised for someone who comes from a country where their are specific laws regarding heraldry and the display of coats of arms to continue referencing one of those peddlers. They should know that the coat of arms might not have anything whatsoever with the questioner's family. It plays on the ego of some people and they will fall for it.
Although, I have been given best answer by a couple of questioners asking about their coat of arms or "family crest," when I gave them a link to websites showing of the falsity
of those website.
Also I think we have an obligation to vote on the best answer not just because we know who gave a particular answer and we like that person. I think we have seen some evidence of gang votiing. Someone has been very nice to a certain persons and they want to make sure that someone gets awarded the best answer. That is not fair at all to the questioner.
2007-08-16 17:29:46 · answer #1 · answered by Shirley T 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think it is a case of "Let the ask-er beware". We could flag these mean people but that's not the answer. The flags have been over used and get people booted for no good reason.
If enough of us give these bad answers a thumbs down maybe the ask-er will get the idea.
Some of these people giving these bad answers may not realize it is bad information, they most likely are finding them in a search and don't realize "Coat of Arms" and the like are just a big SCAM.
PS: F-secure is the best spyware/spam gaurd around!
2007-08-16 10:50:29 · answer #2 · answered by DrMichael 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You know, I feel like I have "evolved" quite a bit since signing on to Yahoo! answers. I've made mistakes. I myself have given out those sites a time or two in the beginning. I have also stopped answering the coat of arms question as well as the "what does my surname mean" question.
I have learned so much since signing on to Yahoo! questions from some very knowledgeable people, yourself included. (Thanks) I am very appreciative of the time people spend to answer my questions and I feel that the only way I can give something back is to try to give a quality answer. With that said, I would hope that if I give an answer that one had issue with that they would be man or woman enough to e-mail me through my profile rather than humiliate me through the asking of a new question. I've seen that done and I think that is unconscionable. Genealogy as well as life is a learning process. If we can't count on eachother, who can we count on?
2007-08-16 10:52:52 · answer #3 · answered by HSK's mama 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Personally I wish yahoo would put a tab on here for websites then we wouldn't have to answer the same questions over and over.
Maybe they are giving the bad answers because 1. they are new to genealogy and they think they found a great site or 2. they are tired of the same tired questions..
We have answered about family crests and origin of names a million times. I have to admit its really old seeing those question over and over. I just don't answer them.
I also get tired of people asking the rest of us to do their research because they are too lazy to do their own. Sorry but its true and you know it. I don't mind helping people but I won't do their research for them. They sure won't give me credit for doing it, they will take all the credit for my hard work. I feel they should be given suggestions and nothing more. I have had to do my own research for over 15 years. I did receive info from someone who turned out to be a horrible researcher and it cost me dearly not only money wise but time wise as I had to go back and delete all of it and at times I still run across a piece of the bad info in my tree that I didn't locate back then.
Maybe we should suggest to yahoo to put a tab for websites and then maybe things will simmer down. What do you think?
2007-08-16 11:31:07 · answer #4 · answered by Holly N 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
When people ask for a family coat of arms they get annoyed if you correct them by telling them family C of A are bunk.
If somone wants to ask "I'm a Taurus. Can I achieve true happiness with an Aires born in the second cusp?", they will get annoyed if you tell them astrology is bunk.
If they ask for bunk, give them bunk. It makes them happy.
Only 5% of the people here are really going to do any research. The rest will quit when the see it is work, or, like Zenshin Academy, ask one generation at a time so he doesn't have to do any work himself.
I haven't told anyone his great grandfather was a colonel in the 2nd Okalhoma Paratroops during the Civil War, yet, or confirmed rumors that Grandma was a Cherokee Princess, so I DO have my standards.
2007-08-16 11:19:47 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
You've answered your own question. Those that want to be helpful will be and those that just want points will put anything down. When you ask a question in this forum you have to read through all the answers and get a feel of what the general consensus is and then select a couple of answers with references that sound valid.
2007-08-16 09:32:05 · answer #6 · answered by Michael K 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because they are spiteful by nature&care nothing about the feelings of others
2007-08-16 09:20:08 · answer #7 · answered by TL 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would not deliberately give out bad info...
People should be fair and honest in all their dealings.
2007-08-16 09:35:41 · answer #8 · answered by Nothingusefullearnedinschool 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
IDK why someone would do that, because it's a waste of theier time much less the the person that asked for help. and then that person that asked the question has to clean up their computer from all of the spam. wat is wrong with people today? honestly
2007-08-16 09:22:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋