Bess
Vaughn
Clark
Author and
Genealogist

Ethics and Genealogy

• Below is a "paper" written by my cousin, friend and fellow researcher, Michael J. Vaughn of Tyler, TX.  Mike and I have discussed the pros and cons of  "genealogical information on the internet" for some time.  Mike's credentials are impressive - Yale University and attorney-at-law and a published author of several  books on history and  genealogy. We have come to the conclusion that it can be a boon and bonanza for the genealogical researcher.  But it comes with laden with peril to which we should all pay careful attention.  I urge you to read Mike's comments.  It is very good advice and I recommend it to all.  BVC.

THE INTERNET: SOLUTION OR PROBLEM FOR GENEALOGISTS

 Legitimate genealogical research has always confronted two very real problems -- the researcher's skill and intellectual honesty, and plagiarism.  The internet -- as great a resource as it can be -- has precipitated a watershed for genealogists by geometrically compounding the negative effects of erroneous or dishonest research and by providing the vehicle for plagiarism on a scale unimaginable only a few years ago.

 Legions of amateur researchers, having never been to a courthouse or archive, too often assume that anything from cyberspace -- the "be all/end all" source for them -- is legitimate.  They fail to realize that while information found on a website may be accurate, it may just as well be fiction.  Whether inaccurate information is the product of bad intentions and a good imagination, or more likely the product of faulty research, the results are the same.  After it is repeated over and over again it is taken as gospel by the novice who simply does not have the experience to discriminate between the good and the bad that is there. 

 Apart from any concern about good research an even greater problem is that many of those same people feel compelled to propagate family trees -- either on their own websites or submitted to various commercial sites -- that bear little or no resemblance to traditionally proven pedigrees.  In many instances they have simply taken information from copyrighted sources -- sometimes even scanning the published word and replicating that on their computer.  That material is then easily copied again and again without regard to the rights of the original researcher.  Not only is that illegal, it is unethical and morally reprehensible.

 Those people fail to realize -- or do not care -- that their actions have a chilling effect on legitimate researchers' efforts to produce quality, documented genealogical resources from original documents.  Most books are money losing propositions -- many times the product of a lifetime's work written down just for the love of the subject and to help others.

 Every time a serious work is exploited and plagiarized it becomes more and more expensive for the dedicated scholar to produce another.  Sooner or later the well will just run dry.  Strict adherence to ethical standards such as those of the North Carolina Genealogical Society should be expected and demanded of anyone who purports to offer genealogical information to the public.

                             Michael J. Vaughn

                             Tyler, Texas

                             February 3, 2002

• Below is stated the "North Carolina Genealogical Society STATEMENT OF CODE OF ETHICS."  

    "The North Carolina Genealogical Society encourages researchers to uphold high standards for their genealogical research, analysis, and publication.  Care should be taken to document properly all information included in a genealogical work. Researchers should remember that the original document is the proper source for all information.  When the original cannot be found, careful analysis of secondary materials (including internet sites) should be fully explained and sources cited.

    Given modern technology and the ease of accessing information on the internet, researchers are encouraged to respect the privacy of all living individuals by not sharing personal information via electronic media.  While courts have not yet fully tested copyright issues involving the internet, the same respect should be paid to information found on the Internet as is paid to information found in printed works bearing notice of copyright.  Under United States copyright law an individual's intellectual output is protected whether or not it bears a copyright notice or symbol and regardless of the medium in which it appears.

    The North Carolina Genealogical Society encourages and expects its members to uphold high moral standards in their use of electronic media, in their research, and in their interaction with fellow genealogists and all other persons.  Ethical behavior by individuals will reflect well upon our organization, as well as the field of genealogy."

From the "North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal," Volume XXVI, No. 3, August 2000.

My staff and I fully endorse this CODE OF ETHICS and make every effort to adhere, not only to its meaning, but to its spirit.

Bess Vaughn Clark

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