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i jumped on 23 and me way way way back, when it first came out............. and all kinds of people came out of the woodwork, all over the GLOBE!!!!!!! SO SO COOL..... and many may have been only 5th cousins (i think the only 4th cousin was out in Nepal of all places!!!!).... and i wasn't one to reach out to them, i kinda was so overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people who had roots branching off my tree, that I replied only to those who contacted me first. It was like putting a jigsaw puzzle together!!! And that girl in Nepal? her great great great grandmother was a great great aunt of my POLISH great grandmother who was born in what now is the Ukraine, just outside of Lvov!!!!!! neato huh????
I did not see it mentioned so far, so I thought I would talk about it - I think it was in California that they recently caught a serial killer by using the DNA results of one of the killers relatives. Itw as close enough to the results that they could make the leap to the killer.
I am super happy that they caught the guy. However - that means that the government must have access to these databases. I have read an article or two on this issue.
The thought of that bothers me, and no I am not a criminal. I just don't like that idea. So, I am not interested in using 1 of those services.
I did not see it mentioned so far, so I thought I would talk about it - I think it was in California that they recently caught a serial killer by using the DNA results of one of the killers relatives. Itw as close enough to the results that they could make the leap to the killer.
I am super happy that they caught the guy. However - that means that the government must have access to these databases. I have read an article or two on this issue.
The thought of that bothers me, and no I am not a criminal. I just don't like that idea. So, I am not interested in using 1 of those services.
They used Gedmatch. I believe there is a thread about this on the forum. If you don't post your tree on Gedmatch and use an anonymous email address then they cannot contact you directly.
I also got kind of skeeved out by the idea of PDs looking through databases and I did delete my profile on Gedmatch as my email address was specific and I had a tree uploaded there that I didn't want reviewed by law enforcement.
It is the reason why I primarily now use MyHeritage and ancestry though they probably have someone going through those too or will in the future IMO. But from what I read about them, they don't at the moment.
I did not see it mentioned so far, so I thought I would talk about it - I think it was in California that they recently caught a serial killer by using the DNA results of one of the killers relatives. Itw as close enough to the results that they could make the leap to the killer.
I am super happy that they caught the guy. However - that means that the government must have access to these databases. I have read an article or two on this issue.
The thought of that bothers me, and no I am not a criminal. I just don't like that idea. So, I am not interested in using 1 of those services.
They used Gedmatch, which is a public database. Public means accessible to everyone, including government authorities/officials. Understand though, that they only had access to people who shared DNA with the suspect DNA they uploaded to the database, just like anyone one else who uploads DNA there. If you don't share any DNA with any suspect, authorities will never have access to your info there.
This is not possible with companies/databases that don't allow uploads - mainly, these include AncestryDNA and 23andMe. If you test with one of them and don't upload your data elsewhere, authorities have no access to it, at least not without a court order.
If you don't want to take the test, don't. But it's important you understand the facts and details.
They used Gedmatch. I believe there is a thread about this on the forum. If you don't post your tree on Gedmatch and use an anonymous email address then they cannot contact you directly.
I also got kind of skeeved out by the idea of PDs looking through databases and I did delete my profile on Gedmatch as my email address was specific and I had a tree uploaded there that I didn't want reviewed by law enforcement.
It is the reason why I primarily now use MyHeritage and ancestry though they probably have someone going through those too or will in the future IMO. But from what I read about them, they don't at the moment.
MyHeritage allow uploads, so authorities could theoretically upload victim or suspect DNA there too. Like Gedmatch, they would only have access to data/contact info of people who share DNA with the DNA they uploaded. AncestryDNA and 23andMe are the only companies I know of who do DNA matching but don't allow uploads.
I was thinking of going ahead and paying the $19 for FTDNA for my grandfather since there are a lot of DNA research studies there on his ancestral communities/surnames that focus on southeastern indigenous ancestry. I already have his info on MyHeritage and I agree it is a great site. The ethnicity portion is VERY different from other sites but they have tools that are very easy to use and are free. Thanks for the tidbit about you viewing FTDNA as not as good as MyHeritage in this regard. I still will probably upload and pay the $19 for one of my grandfather's first cousins though when her DNA results come back just to participate in the DNA studies. She is the only female relative of my grandfather who I know personally is a direct maternal line descendant of his mother and I want to participate in the study along with getting her maternal haplogroup. I mentioned in another thread about indigenous ancestry that I don't have any native DNA. My grandfather does and I have a paper trail that proves it is on his maternal line and so I want to have our cousin test to confirm this match on the maternal line an din the future maybe apply to become part of the tribe (or give that information to one of my nephews so he can apply - he has some health issues and that particular tribe is eligible for Indian health services - they require proven descent from the tribe via paper trail and DNA results are also helpful to submit - there is no "blood quantum" requirement like all people seem to believe is the case for all tribes when it is not as I doubt my nephew has any indigenous DNA markers due to him being 10 generations removed from my grandfather's known indigenous distant great grandmother).
Note - I also feel that MyHeritage is superior to Gedmatch tools that I've used. I don't use Genesis though so cannot comment on what that offers. I also have submitted kit IDs to Irish and Scottish groups online so maybe we're related lol! My grandfather also has a lot of Irish/Scottish, and English ancestry as does my father.
Since you hit a brick wall; you should do whatever you can to break it down. $19 isn't a bad price, especially if it helps remove a few bricks.
I think My Heritage is superior to GEDmatch and Genesis too because My Heritage gives everything for free, GED and Genesis want you to pay $10 a month for the same tools
As for Native DNA, depending on what type of NA it may not show in DNA. My son's grandmother should show as NA; she's not too far removed from a NA great grandmother but she does not show NA at Ancestry or My Heritage. I believe she had a small amount on GEDmatch. She's NJ Lenni Lenape which I do not think Ancestry has. If anyone will have it, I think My Heritage eventually will because they're on a quest to get as many specific ethnicities that they can.
I really have to go back and edit my tree there to show her NA relationship. May also be helpful if I grab a few of her known relatives at Ancestry to have them upload to My Heritage too; then I'd send them an email. My son has a 3rd and 4th cousin I work with at My Heritage and Ancestry yet My Heritage didn't show them as matching. I sent them an email they eventually redid things so he and his mom now show.
Quote:
Originally Posted by residinghere2007
They used Gedmatch. I believe there is a thread about this on the forum. If you don't post your tree on Gedmatch and use an anonymous email address then they cannot contact you directly.
I also got kind of skeeved out by the idea of PDs looking through databases and I did delete my profile on Gedmatch as my email address was specific and I had a tree uploaded there that I didn't want reviewed by law enforcement.
It is the reason why I primarily now use MyHeritage and ancestry though they probably have someone going through those too or will in the future IMO. But from what I read about them, they don't at the moment.
MyHeritage allow uploads, so authorities could theoretically upload victim or suspect DNA there too. Like Gedmatch, they would only have access to data/contact info of people who share DNA with the DNA they uploaded. AncestryDNA and 23andMe are the only companies I know of who do DNA matching but don't allow uploads.
I discussed My Heritage with Colleen; she said that no, they're a privately owned company like Ancestry, 23 and Me and FTDNA and even though they (FTDNA and My Heritage) allow uploads; they're not public and therefore they can't upload to them.
Since you hit a brick wall; you should do whatever you can to break it down. $19 isn't a bad price, especially if it helps remove a few bricks.
I think My Heritage is superior to GEDmatch and Genesis too because My Heritage gives everything for free, GED and Genesis want you to pay $10 a month for the same tools
As for Native DNA, depending on what type of NA it may not show in DNA. My son's grandmother should show as NA; she's not too far removed from a NA great grandmother but she does not show NA at Ancestry or My Heritage. I believe she had a small amount on GEDmatch. She's NJ Lenni Lenape which I do not think Ancestry has. If anyone will have it, I think My Heritage eventually will because they're on a quest to get as many specific ethnicities that they can.
I really have to go back and edit my tree there to show her NA relationship. May also be helpful if I grab a few of her known relatives at Ancestry to have them upload to My Heritage too; then I'd send them an email. My son has a 3rd and 4th cousin I work with at My Heritage and Ancestry yet My Heritage didn't show them as matching. I sent them an email they eventually redid things so he and his mom now show.
On FTDNA if you do a test with them, you don't have to pay the $19 right? I'll have to go to their site again and look at this. I have an ancestry test that I bought for my cousin and I want her results on ancestry but I also was going to upload to FTDNA and see if they can determine her haplogroup from the raw data DNA upload. Not sure if she will have to submit two different samples for this (I'm thinking she will though...)
In a few FB groups I'm on I know they are seeking more members to join specific FTDNA DNA studies for particular surname lines from the southeaster indigenous communities. My cousin is interested in participating in those studies.
I discussed My Heritage with Colleen; she said that no, they're a privately owned company like Ancestry, 23 and Me and FTDNA and even though they (FTDNA and My Heritage) allow uploads; they're not public and therefore they can't upload to them.
Having looked at MyHeritage and FTDNA's Terms of Service, you're correct that they do not allow law enforcement to upload DNA - but it's not because they are a private company (Gedmatch is a private company too), it's just their chosen policy: //www.city-data.com/forum/53283260-post133.html
On FTDNA if you do a test with them, you don't have to pay the $19 right?
No, you don't have to pay the $19. You can upload the DNA data for free, but if you don't pay the $19, you won't have access to all the tools/reports. The $19 fee unlocks the Chromosome Browser, myOrigins, and ancientOrigins.
I may be off-base on this but after my AncestryDNA results came in and I looked at the matches they showed me, I got the impression the site just matched the little bit of my family tree that I filled out with what others had done and let me know which ones could be my 4th-7th cousins or whatever that particular person supposedly was. The site suggested I fill in more of my tree so they could let know who else I might be related to. Hmmm.
To answer the OP's question, if someone sent me a message and I noticed it I would reply. Haven't looked lately to see if they have or not. Within the first week or so after getting my results I don't believe anyone tried contacting me. If they did I didn't know where to look for the message. I'll have to look again.
This weekend will spend some time writing down family tree info on my maternal side. A really nice tree going back hundreds of years was done by a distant relative (professional genealogist) on my father's side that gave the information to him in a digital file. I had written down my mother's side before when I had a free trial to Ancestry.com but it's a little hard to follow so will be more organized this time and hopefully come across even more information. I get lost in this stuff and a few hours can go by without me even realizing it. I need to be more efficient.
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