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A recent blog by The DNA Geek - https://thednageek.com/fool-me-once/ - contains a chart of autosomal DNA database growth by all the big players, as of 12/2/2021. The databases continue to grow, but the growth slope of the databases has indeed slowed down.
The article primarily addresses the games that 23andMe has played with their numbers, but the chart for all testing companies, including AncestryDNA, is at the very end of the article.
No one is forcing you to take the test. Also, this topic isn't about law enforcement's use of commercial DNA databases - please don't hijack the topic.
We did a doggy DNA test on our rescue mix just to see what her predominate breeds are. It was fun and we got some useful information.
One of my kids gave me a DNA test a couple of years ago that I have never taken. Like others mention, I'm not so sure that I want my DNA to be put in a big database like that. We never know how that information could be used or who could potentially hack the database.
We did a doggy DNA test on our rescue mix just to see what her predominate breeds are. It was fun and we got some useful information.
One of my kids gave me a DNA test a couple of years ago that I have never taken. Like others mention, I'm not so sure that I want my DNA to be put in a big database like that. We never know how that information could be used or who could potentially hack the database.
It's illegal in the US for health insurance companies and employers to use genetic data to discriminate or deny coverage. And AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and MyHeritage do not allow law enforcement to use their DNA databases. AncestryDNA and 23andMe don't even allow DNA uploads from other sources, so it's not even possible for law enforcement to access their databases without a court order. FTDNA and Gedmatch are the ones you want to steer clear of if you want to avoid law enforcement usage (and keep in mind, even at those sites, law enforcement don't have access to any information that other users don't). Obviously, things could change in the future, but at the moment, AncestryDNA and 23andMe in particular are extremely private and secure, contrary to the fear mongering of some.
And yeah, hacks are possible too, but due to the fact that health insurance companies and employers can't even use genetic data, and law enforcement can't use it if it's obtained illegally from a hack, it makes the DNA databases rather useless for hackers - there's no market for them to sell the data to. Hackers are way more interested in your credit card details, social security number, bank accounts, etc. If you do online banking, buy things online with your credit card, ever entered your social security number into any online forms, etc, you've put yourself at far more risk than taking a DNA test. But no one wants to admit to that because things like online banking and buying products online are too much of a convenience to not make use of them.
If you're still not comfortable taking a DNA test, then don't, but be sure you're making an informed decision and not basing it on misinformation.
It's illegal in the US for health insurance companies and employers to use genetic data to discriminate or deny coverage. And AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and MyHeritage do not allow law enforcement to use their DNA databases. AncestryDNA and 23andMe don't even allow DNA uploads from other sources, so it's not even possible for law enforcement to access their databases without a court order. FTDNA and Gedmatch are the ones you want to steer clear of if you want to avoid law enforcement usage (and keep in mind, even at those sites, law enforcement don't have access to any information that other users don't). Obviously, things could change in the future, but at the moment, AncestryDNA and 23andMe in particular are extremely private and secure, contrary to the fear mongering of some.
And yeah, hacks are possible too, but due to the fact that health insurance companies and employers can't even use genetic data, and law enforcement can't use it if it's obtained illegally from a hack, it makes the DNA databases rather useless for hackers - there's no market for them to sell the data to. Hackers are way more interested in your credit card details, social security number, bank accounts, etc. If you do online banking, buy things online with your credit card, ever entered your social security number into any online forms, etc, you've put yourself at far more risk than taking a DNA test. But no one wants to admit to that because things like online banking and buying products online are too much of a convenience to not make use of them.
If you're still not comfortable taking a DNA test, then don't, but be sure you're making an informed decision and not basing it on misinformation.
Elaborating on what you said, I just want to say that if someone is worried about it, only do ancestry or 23 and me, don't upload for free to my heritage because the first "genetic genealogy" case was solved using their DNA database. The person that solved it lied, saying it was GEDmatch or something like it was uploaded to sites like GEDmatch and FTDNA, not specifically saying which one.
I'm surprised my heritage has not shut down the uploads but then again, the free uploaders have grown their database a lot.
FTDNA and GEDmatch are the only 2 sites that allow LE to upload.
As of right now, both 23 and me and ancestry have fought LE warrants when they've been served. I'm not sure if my heritage has.
I would imagine a lot of people received DNA Test Kits from the various genealogy sites for Christmas this year. If they quickly send their samples back in the weeks right after the holiday, I would expect their results will be getting added to the sites by sometime in March. This would mean that those of us that had previously done DNA tests should then start seeing a lot of new DNA matches. This could help many with new genealogy leads.
In my opinion, it's waste of money and very unreliable. But we already talked about it on this forum...
In my opinion, it's waste of money and very unreliable. But we already talked about it on this forum...
In my experience, DNA tests can be extremely useful in breaking down brick walls in your tree. It's only the ethnicity percentage results that are so unreliable, but the test is more than just that.
Not if you committed a crime. You no longer have any right to privacy.
It is unequivocally a good thing. Doesn't matter if it's a relative. All crimes need to be punished and victims need justice. If genealogy tests promote these things, all the better (and they apparently do).
Our family got a new first cousin due to dna testing. The cousin was raised with 4 siblings, but none of them looked like her. It was she who hoped to find out the truth. She matched with me, and then confronted her mother, who admitted that my uncle was her father.
This could have gone very badly, but it has been a nice thing. My cousin has flown across the country to meet her fathers sister...our 94 year old aunt, and my aunt has been thrilled to have a new niece. My cousin has told her college age children, but not her siblings.
Well, maybe. A lot of people go to fitness centers in January and by March they are couch potatoes again. I'd like to see some information supplied with those new DNA test results for my new matches and maybe they could respond to emails.
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