Last updated: June 25, 2026.
1. No submissions in v0.1
The public beta does not collect uploads, testimonials, or private family records through the website. The project email, [email protected], is for questions, corrections, removal requests, and volunteer coordination. Do not email sensitive private documents unless they are redacted and you have permission to share them.
2. Consent choices required
Before submitting a story, record, correction, or land-loss entry, users should choose one of these options:
- Publish my testimonial with my name.
- Publish my testimonial anonymously.
- Use my information only for private research or aggregate statistics.
- Use only to help me; do not publish or include in statistics.
3. Review before publication
No submitted testimonial, document, correction, or family record should be posted publicly without review for consent, privacy, relevance, source support, and sensitive information.
4. Sensitive information warning
Users should redact Social Security numbers, private addresses of living people, government ID numbers, birth certificates, financial records, medical records, and other sensitive living-person information before submitting anything.
5. Land-loss data categories
Future submissions may include documented categories such as tax sale, mortgage foreclosure, sheriff sale, private deed, guardian sale, minor/incompetent allottee sale, probate or partition, oil/gas or mineral severance, right-of-way, condemnation, fraud allegation, restriction removal, federal approval issue, county/state taxation issue, unknown, or other.
6. Aggregated dashboard
Charts and dashboards should generally use aggregated data. Individual family details should not be published unless the submitter expressly consents.
7. Correction and withdrawal
Submitters should be able to request correction, withdrawal, anonymization, or removal of their own public submission by contacting [email protected].
8. No proof of ownership
A published story or land-loss entry does not prove ownership, title, heirship, citizenship, or legal rights. It is a research lead and evidence index only.