Mum wants a DNA ancestry thing for Christmas

[catin8oots]

I'm overwhelmed reading reviews online. Can anyone recommend the best one?

My children bought me the ancestry one and it's been fine. Told me the %ethnicity and connected me to a couple of different ancestors.

What does she want to get out of it?

Go to BBC Sounds and listen to a podcast called The Gift before you do this. Lots of examples of people finding out things they wish they hadn't!

This

But if you pretty much know most things it's quite interesting.
It put me in touch with someone that enabled me to find out more about a family mystery

During lockdown , I purchased my dh one for his birthday and he found it fascinating to research his family tree , it intrigued me to do the same and I've found out many things I did not know about my ancestors . My mother's side of the family are much more interesting .

We used Ancestry.com, all fine, no nasty surprises in the wood shed!

I was about to say the same about The Gift on BBC sounds.

Ancestry has the biggest database.

I really don’t feel like any good can come from these things.

My DH used Find my Past and Ancestry. He prefers Find my Past. It's simply looking into the lives of your ancestors. The 23 and Me, sometimes throw up a shock but they are not the same thing.

Be careful with this.

Some sites were hacked, and there is also the question whether some sites can sell the results.

I wanted to do it, but am having second thoughts now.

On 23andMe you can get your health DNA and ancestry without connecting to any family members. That part is optional.

There's also an issue about what happens with the data especially if the company ceases trading

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz7wl7rpndjo.amp

I think just some family history. She is from a huge family but her brother is sadly dying and she will be the last one. She feels all the stories have died as all her family have.

Honestly,most of what you might need to know doesn’t require DNA testing

Thank you. This is what I couldn't work out looking online

We used Ancestry 7 yrs ago.

Turns out I was the only one of us that was actually excited to learn the results, and wished my DPs had been alive to share it with.
Since then, however, there's been news stories coming out that made me wish that we hadn't done this, but what's done is done,.
I think I would not now use it, knowing now what I know about what might happen with all this DNA data.

23andme is in trouble at the moment, so I'd be careful there.

It's also worth bearing in mind that your data is the product, rather than the kit / testing.

I wouldn't trust a company at this stage to protect the most personal thing about me.

My very elderly Mum has always expressed an interest in it. However, I think it is because she actually hankers after finding some exotic background or family scandal. I haven't gifted it yet as I think she'll be disappointed with the results!

I read recently that 23andMe is going bankrupt and there's been a rush of people trying to get the company to remove their personal details and destroy any DNA, as it's unclear what will happen if the company completely closes or is sold/taken over by someone else. You/your mum should also be aware that there is some personal information these companies are required to keep for 7 years.

I brought one for my dad a few years ago. He found a brother that he didn't know about. And there's another mystery cousin who I suspect didn't know who their father really was as I've contacted them a couple of times and have been ignored.