Early this year, a conference was held in Providence, in part because New England is home to thousands of original source documents. Still, while the Web has helped broaden genealogy's appeal to the masses, experts say, the resulting influx of newcomers and their lack of schooling in genealogy's research techniques are creating problems of accuracy. Posting unsubstantiated family histories can perpetuate errors across the worldwide computer network. She says they posted leads on electronic message boards and used e-mail to communicate efficiently. As the Internet blossomed in the early 1990s, she says, it drew legions seeking to trace their ancestry.
Most people first look to see if they are related to kings and queens and royalty.
Then they get addicted. May. The poll also showed that about 35 million people have used the Internet to research their family history. Many attribute the swell in popularity to the Internet. It's bringing a whole bunch of people into the field,' Powell says. With the new technology, genealogists no longer have to wait months for a response to a query.