[Misc] DNA ancestry kits - anyone used one?

[Giraffe]

My uncle keeps asking me to gob into a tube. He’s well and truly got the bug, and like many newly-converted zealots finds it impossible to understand why I won’t comply. I have no interest in the topic and just as much interest in helping him give my DNA to a random corporate.

He’s a persistent bugger though. Last year, he asked me whether I had licked the envelope that contained his Christmas card. I told him I’d used tap water - which may not have been entirely truthful.

This.

I received the Ancestry DNA kit last Christmas and, having read their T’s & C’s, a year on it remains unused and gathering dust.

Just mildly interested to know what you fear?

 

[Goldstone1976]

Just mildly interested to know what you fear?

Nothing specific. Their t&c’s (used to, last time I looked) permit them to hold and use the data in unspecified ways - very close to “by providing your DNA, you allow us to use it in any way we see fit at at any time, now or in the future”. That doesn’t seem reasonable to me. Perhaps I’d be ok with it if I were interested in tracing my family tree, but I’m not...

 

[Wardy's twin]

Personal experience of family history rather than DNA testing is that its quite a good hobby getting you to think. It suits certain mindsets. As I am retired I have had some 'winter time' to do some research.

I have traced my dad's family back 4 generations in Belfast and that was easy but stopped as recordsvmuch thinner on the ground. I have really just followed the paternal line. Though I know my great uncle played for NI and Forest.

I have done a lot more on my mum's side. Gone back 8 generations through her father's line and more to be confirmed. There are 'relatives' still living in same house that my GGGGrandfather died in in a hamlet in Cornwall.

If you want to do this I would pairing up with someone who can check your logic and don't assume what is on someone's FT is accurate ....

 

[maltaseagull]

I subscribed to Ancestry a couple of times in the past but each time I gave up as I didn't seem to be getting very far. Mind you, it didn't help that my Grandmothers father's name was John Reid, so was his father and so was his father!

But on the strength of this thread Ive just subscribed again and give it another go - third time lucky.

Does anybody know of an idiots guide? Is it best make sure you have the right person by maybe starting with a birth or death certificate? Presumably working back from me is best as obviously I know about my parents and my grandparents? if I find my grandparents birth certificate presumably that will have their parents on it - I hope!

Would you work on one ancesstor at a time?

Any other tips other than just keep at it?

I got stuck on my fathers side at his Mother and have ordered a copy of their marriage certificate to get her father's name as my searches came up with very little. On my Mother's side have got a great great grandparent from Scotland and one from Norfolk. No Sussex roots.

 

[Giraffe]

Nothing specific. Their t&c’s (used to, last time I looked) permit them to hold and use the data in unspecified ways - very close to “by providing your DNA, you allow us to use it in any way we see fit at at any time, now or in the future”. That doesn’t seem reasonable to me. Perhaps I’d be ok with it if I were interested in tracing my family tree, but I’m not...

Yes I get eh general point. But actually what is the fear, that they may use it for you to get convicted of something? That they use it to create a new you? I'm genuinely interested to know what the fear is. Or is it just a worry of sort of big brother theory.

 

[Napper]

know someone who had 3 tests from the same place and all 3 results different.

Sounds a con

 

[Fungus]

know someone who had 3 tests from the same place and all 3 results different.

Sounds a con

Nope, not a con. It's a huge industry, which would collapse if it was fake. That said, some tests have to be repeated, so maybe your "someone" got unlucky or screwed up their own test.

The DNA matches give you a huge amount of information, which would be easily disprovable if it was a con.

 

[Gazwag]

On the non DNA side do you get access to loads of data, records, census' etc or do you end up having to fork out more cash all the time to get further. It seems people are saying they are ordering certificates so is there a lot of this needed.

On the DNA side I guess you are reliant on members of your distant family to also have had a DNA test through the site in order to link things together

 

[Worthing exile]

If it is 'your thing' then a family tree can be really addictive. A subscription to Ancestry gives you access to so much information nowadays you hardly have to leave your chair. Also as someone else has mentioned, you get hints from other subscribers trees showing who else is researching your relatives and what they have found.
It is amazing to see pictures of old documents about your family.
I initially went wrong by chasing my trees as far back as possible and got back to the 1500s on one. I have more interest at the moment researching people from the last 100 years or so and trying to match old photos that I have in my possession.
One word of advice. If you currently have no real interest in it but you have elderly relations, just get information from them and keep it safe. Get them to write names etc on the back of family photos so you know who they are. Somebody at some time will get the bug and find it all useful.

On the subject of certificates, yes you occasionally need to buy them to prove a hunch or find out a person's parents etc but it doesn't have to be that often and always buy through the Government Registry where it is cheaper.

 

[Wozza]

Yes I get eh general point. But actually what is the fear, that they may use it for you to get convicted of something? That they use it to create a new you? I'm genuinely interested to know what the fear is. Or is it just a worry of sort of big brother theory.

Your DNA is your unique identifier. Once out there, there's no going back. It's not like closing your Facebook account, changing password etc.

No-one knows what the future holds and how your data might be (mis)used.

But imagine you're mysteriously refused life insurance in the future. Could it be that someone, somewhere has deemed you high risk due to a particular gene?

What if a family member (could even be quite distant, intentionally or otherwise) is a convicted rapist, and you're unknowingly put on a high risk list simply because you share genes?

What if your opinions, preferences and emotions are collected by advertisers, matched to your DNA (forever), then used in intrusive ways?

What if relatives can easily track you down in future - even the ones you don't want to? etc etc.

Again, no-one knows what the future holds and how your data might be (mis)used.

If you've been worried by the Cambridge Analytica scandal, or even football ID cards, you should definitely think twice about DNA testing.

 

[Worthing exile]

Your DNA is your unique identifier. Once out there, there's no going back. It's not like closing your Facebook account, changing password etc.

No-one knows what the future holds and how your data might be (mis)used.

But imagine you're mysteriously refused life insurance in the future. Could it be that someone, somewhere has deemed you high risk due to a particular gene?

What if a family member (could even be quite distant, intentionally or otherwise) is a convicted rapist, and you're unknowingly put on a high risk list simply because you share genes?

What if your opinions, preferences and emotions are collected by advertisers, matched to your DNA (forever), then used in intrusive ways?

What if relatives can easily track you down in future - even the ones you don't want to? etc etc.

Again, no-one knows what the future holds and how your data might be (mis)used.

If you've been worried by the Cambridge Analytica scandal, or even football ID cards, you should definitely think twice about DNA testing.

None of this worries me but what would fascinate me is if my DNA doesn't match known relatives. It would be interesting to find out who the naughty ancestor was lol

 

[Fungus]

On the non DNA side do you get access to loads of data, records, census' etc or do you end up having to fork out more cash all the time to get further. It seems people are saying they are ordering certificates so is there a lot of this needed.

On the DNA side I guess you are reliant on members of your distant family to also have had a DNA test through the site in order to link things together

There are a lot of free websites that you can use - eg. https://www.familysearch.org/search/hr/search - you'll need to sign up for a free account. Also https://www.freebmd.org.uk/

You can't access that on Ancestry without paying for a subscription, but you get access to so many more records, plus hints and a decent way of organising your tree.

Certificates are a good idea to confirm your direct ancestors, but not vital.

Yes, DNA matches rely on distant cousins also testing, which means potential new matches every day. Most are a bit too distant, though.

 

[Fungus]

Your DNA is your unique identifier. Once out there, there's no going back. It's not like closing your Facebook account, changing password etc.

No-one knows what the future holds and how your data might be (mis)used.

But imagine you're mysteriously refused life insurance in the future. Could it be that someone, somewhere has deemed you high risk due to a particular gene?

What if a family member (could even be quite distant, intentionally or otherwise) is a convicted rapist, and you're unknowingly put on a high risk list simply because you share genes?

What if your opinions, preferences and emotions are collected by advertisers, matched to your DNA (forever), then used in intrusive ways?

What if relatives can easily track you down in future - even the ones you don't want to? etc etc.

Again, no-one knows what the future holds and how your data might be (mis)used.

If you've been worried by the Cambridge Analytica scandal, or even football ID cards, you should definitely think twice about DNA testing.

A lot of maybes in the future. I'd be more worried about other stuff now, like my bank account being hacked.

 

[Box of Frogs]

Your DNA is your unique identifier. Once out there, there's no going back. It's not like closing your Facebook account, changing password etc.

No-one knows what the future holds and how your data might be (mis)used.

But imagine you're mysteriously refused life insurance in the future. Could it be that someone, somewhere has deemed you high risk due to a particular gene?

What if a family member (could even be quite distant, intentionally or otherwise) is a convicted rapist, and you're unknowingly put on a high risk list simply because you share genes?

What if your opinions, preferences and emotions are collected by advertisers, matched to your DNA (forever), then used in intrusive ways?

What if relatives can easily track you down in future - even the ones you don't want to? etc etc.

Again, no-one knows what the future holds and how your data might be (mis)used.

If you've been worried by the Cambridge Analytica scandal, or even football ID cards, you should definitely think twice about DNA testing.

You seem to be more than a little paranoid. Lots of if's, but's and maybe's there. Do you also wrap tinfoil around your head or sleep in a nuclear shelter?

 

[Wozza]

You seem to be more than a little paranoid. Lots of if's, but's and maybe's there. Do you also wrap tinfoil around your head or sleep in a nuclear shelter?

I'm merely asking the questions/posing scenarios.

Again, once you're tested, there's no going back. It's worth a little contemplation...

(Bonus scenario: Ancestry's parent org is bought by a unscrupulous Chinese company outside of Western jurisdiction.)

 

[Box of Frogs]

I'm merely asking the questions/posing scenarios.

Again, once you're tested, there's no going back. It's worth a little contemplation...

(Bonus scenario: Ancestry's parent org is bought by a unscrupulous Chinese company outside of Western jurisdiction.)

Yeah I'm only pulling your leg mate. I do have an Ancestry account and have traced my relatives back to the 1700s (farmers from Storrington and surrounding areas, in case you're wondering) but haven't felt the need to spit in a jar yet! I find the whole genealogy thing fascinating but incredibly time consuming.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Yes I get eh general point. But actually what is the fear, that they may use it for you to get convicted of something? That they use it to create a new you? I'm genuinely interested to know what the fear is. Or is it just a worry of sort of big brother theory.

Well, bio-engineering/gene therapy are both rapidly expanding fields. With privacy being a moveable feast, and medical ethics inconsistent at best, my judgement is that any risk of future misuse is not worth the absolutely zero benefit to me of providing them with my DNA. The more so since my last reading of their T&Cs would permit them to sell it to any third party who would like to purchase it.

As I say, if I placed any value on the service they provide, I doubt I’d have a problem with it, but I don’t...

 

[Gazwag]

There are a lot of free websites that you can use - eg. https://www.familysearch.org/search/hr/search - you'll need to sign up for a free account. Also https://www.freebmd.org.uk/

You can't access that on Ancestry without paying for a subscription, but you get access to so many more records, plus hints and a decent way of organising your tree.

Certificates are a good idea to confirm your direct ancestors, but not vital.

Yes, DNA matches rely on distant cousins also testing, which means potential new matches every day. Most are a bit too distant, though.

Thanks, I was meaning once you pay your annual sub rather than getting stuff for nothing, like when you buy a computer game not realising you have to fork out more cash to get further into the game than the basic version.

 

[AZ Gull]

My uncle keeps asking me to gob into a tube. He’s well and truly got the bug, and like many newly-converted zealots finds it impossible to understand why I won’t comply. I have no interest in the topic and just as much interest in helping him give my DNA to a random corporate.

He’s a persistent bugger though. Last year, he asked me whether I had licked the envelope that contained his Christmas card. I told him I’d used tap water - which may not have been entirely truthful.

This.

I received the Ancestry DNA kit last Christmas and, having read their T’s & C’s, a year on it remains unused and gathering dust.

Just mildly interested to know what you fear?

DNA profiles from ancestry websites helped identify the Golden State Killer suspect

ANOTHER MURDERER CAUGHT USING SAME DNA WEBSITE AS THE GOLDEN STATE KILLER CASE

Anything you would like to unburden yourselves of, [MENTION=27447]Goldstone1976[/MENTION] and [MENTION=1721]Mr Putdown[/MENTION]?

 

[Fungus]

Thanks, I was meaning once you pay your annual sub rather than getting stuff for nothing, like when you buy a computer game not realising you have to fork out more cash to get further into the game than the basic version.

Ah, right. It depends on the level of subscription. Wife and I started with the basic level, but soon got prompted to upgrade when we tried to look at parish records or international records. That was a bit annoying, but it was worth it between the two of us.