Warning on Ancestry (and other) DNA tests?

[MLMshouldbeillegal]

Ancestry, My Heritage and the other DNA testing companies are all pushing their tests as the ideal Christmas gift, and they are cheaper than ever. Ancestry had a black Friday offer for £50, My Heritage even cheaper at £39.

AIBU to think these tests should come with a wee health warning? That although it's marketed as a "find out your ethnicity" tool, in fact it might reveal some long-hidden family secrets?

I have tested with Ancestry and uploaded my data to other sites too. No surprises on my tree, matches with distant cousins who all fit into the picture as I know it. But I also go genealogical client work and I'm currently working with a man in his 70s who was given one of the tests for father's day back in June and is trying to process the fact that he is not matching with other descendants of his grandfather. Or at least the man he thought was his grandfather. So in later life, he's trying to come to terms with his much loved grandfather, who his father absolutely adored, is probably not his biological relative. It's a lot to deal with.

The testing companies really push the "find out if you're part Viking, part Native American" in their marketing but that aspect isn't really very accurate - My Heritage says I'm >2% Iraq/Iran/Turkey and I'm definitely not. Ancestry is more accurate given what I know about my tree.

Taking one of these tests could open up a whole can of worms in terms of relationships in the family, in this generation or further back with people who are long dead, and who you can't get answers from. For some people it can be a lot to process and I dont think the implications are properly laid out.

KeflavikAirport

Given the state of global politics I think telling people they have "French" or "English" DNA is a dangerous slippery slope

Just by my parents and grandparents I have 5 different nationalities.

My hubby is doing one simply because he was adopted and can’t get the answers he wants from his biological mother as she lies a lot. So really he is looking to open a can of worms once and for all

I wouldn’t want to know if my dad had another child. I was the long lost child and it’s caused so much pain all around.
My half siblings would be so hurt (again)

My dad has done it out of interest in how mixed his heritage is but I know he would know he would have picked to option not to be traced

So many men have children they don’t know about

A family member was a sperm donor beck in the 90s. Thanks to one of these sites, some of the subsequent children have found him. He's suprisingly chilled about it, but that's a whole can of worms, given that at the time donors were anonymous

I am interested to see whether I have any links to Asia as I have a genetic issue that is found in some people from that area of the world.

@mugoftea456

My father walked out when I was a child, no huge trauma to me. However i do know he went on to have more children, none of which know i exist. I would never to one of these test, it would be awful for the other children to find out about their fathers previous life in this way.

You know I know you think they wouldn't want to know you but we are trying to track down my grandfathers ahem "love children" because although he was a arse, we are not. Bloody bugger had loads of them by all accounts and paid off the mums.

Part of it is because we want them to know if they want to be there is a a family that would love to meet them (if they are willing) and also because it would have him rolling around in his grave. Honestly it annoys me so much he gave these kids the impressed that the whole family didn't want them because he didn't and grandma was to weak willed to face facts (in the kindest sense - naive)

Oh look, I've just been sent some spam by FindMyPast. See what it is they're after: not my money, but my data.

we’re giving away three 12-month Pro subscriptions. To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is upload a family tree GEDCOM file by 7 December*.

Data is the new gold of the new gold rush as it were. However the huge benefits for mankind from the human genome project are in my view overwhelmingly a force for good. I remember when Clinton and Blair jointly announced the completion of the entire sequencing of our genome.

It also shows how we are all one people across the planet - all out of Africa, all connected. I really don't think it divides us. It is one reason I like the free of charge Familysearch.org LDS family tree which in theory if ever completed with be everyone although the paid for services such as ancestry allow you to prepare your own family tree so there are pros and cons to each.

Ancestry will allow adults to order DNA kits for their children under the age on 18 which I think is a bit dubious too, children can't give informed consent on the matter.

I agree. US-based Facebook groups are full of parents getting their small babies tested. I think it's highly unethical and inappropriate but Ancestry.com has different rules to Ancestry.co.uk.

I was interested in it but after finding out about an adopted sibling 5 years ago I now don’t want to. The parent the adopted sibling and I have in common is now dead and the other parent is convinced there’s more. If more matches DID come up then I couldn’t have my questions answered so I’ll leave it.

My husband and I did the My Heritage DNA kit last year and it was disappointing. I deliberately hadn't uploaded my family tree to the website so the results took ages to get back, when I did I just don't believe they were accurate. I must get in touch with them actually as I'd like to them to destroy my DNA file. I'd like to try the Ancestry one though.

Why don’t you think they were accurate? And why do you think Ancestry’s will be better? @musicviking1

@speakout

Xenia

Mosty wrong in my judgement.
Marriages and deaths are usually accurate, but parenthood should always be taken with a large pinch of salt.
On all sides of my family, my OH's family we know of many realtives, distant and close that have certificates with "innacuaracies" on their birth

I've recently found my great grand father's birth certificate from 1912

James Smith - father John Smith (address unknown) mother Jane Smith nee Jones

I know John Smith had been MIA for at least a decade at this point and was unlikely the father.

In 1917 Jane had another child, left the father as unknown didn't use her maiden name in the record at all.

The odd thing is in 1975 the registrar has put an updated record saying James will be known as James Jones. His mums maiden name and the one he did always use.

I just can't get my head around why they would update the record 50 odd years later after James death.

I just can't get my head around why they would update the record 50 odd years later after James death

He would be coming up to retirement age and possibly found that his retirement was in the other name and wanted it official so he could claim his pension.

Petunia
"@speakout
Xenia

Mosty wrong in my judgement.
Marriages and deaths are usually accurate, but parenthood should always be taken with a large pinch of salt.
On all sides of my family, my OH's family we know of many realtives, distant and close that have certificates with "innacuaracies" on their birth"

Just be clear the part below my name above was not written by me.

My cousin became ill with MS- a long and ultimately terminal decline, and the last few years she had limited mobility and used a wheelchair.
One of the things that kept up her spirits was researching and documenting her family tree, she spent a few years tracing back ancestors.
No one in the family had the heart to tell her that the man she thought was her father was not. Although she enjoyed the process half of the work she did was not pertinent to her, she died without knowing the truth.

One doesn’t need a disclaimer- just some braincells. Its obvious what they’re selling and at this point if people don’t know than the more fool them.