RW Migration: Poll and Action

[webmaster]

For the record:

 

I sent a poll to all National Project lists to review a written request to Ancestry.com Legal to remove websites that contain our registered USPTO service marks on Mar 19, 2024. The response from members and states was overwhelmingly in favor of sending the proposed letter. Thank you to every single member who participated in this poll for your support on this important issue!

 

As a result of this poll, I sent the letter to Ancestry.com Legal by Certified Mail, Return Receipt, with Signature Required, on 3/26/2024. The redacted letter (pdf) and post office receipts (png) are attached.

 

 

Linda K. Lewis

National Coordinator

The USGenWeb^® Project

Free Genealogy for over 25 Years!

www.usgenweb.org

 

-- Copy of Poll --

Important POLL from USGenWeb National Coordinator

 

PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL STATE LISTS

 

USGenWeb Members,

 

We would like to send the attached letter to Ancestry.com Legal Dept. to request the removal of sites that carry our registered service marks, and we request your feedback by 3/25/2024. Your opinion and Project support MATTERS!

 

Our RW Migration project was successful! We moved over 150 websites from RootsWeb and have only 4 counties left to go! It was a huge effort and MANY members went above and beyond to make this a success. I am very proud of how our Project pulled together! THANK YOU! 

 

USGenWeb members also donated ~$1K to renew the registration of 2 service marks with USPTO during my first term as NC. Now RootsWeb is read-only and I believe we should try to leverage our legal standing and assert ownership of our registered service marks to request the removal of our old sites from RootsWeb, Ancestry.com, and any current or future backup sites or publications. I contend that the continued publication of the old abandoned static sites carrying our service marks is damaging to our brand. Long-abandoned sites with bad emails and broken links make it look like we are GONE - but WE ARE STILL HERE! 

 

Should we send the attached letter to Ancestry.com (via registered snail mail)? . Please send feedback and suggested edits to the various Project lists, to me, or any AB member by 3/25/2024: https://www.usgenweb.org/about/advisoryboard.html 

 

Every opinion matters!

 

Thank you for your support of our Project,

 

Linda K. Lewis

National Coordinator

The USGenWeb^® Project

Free Genealogy for over 25 Years!

www.usgenweb.org