Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
But if the FBI was threatening FTDNA with subpoenas, wha's to stop them from doing that with the other companies?
I'd like to know why FTDNA gave up so easy. I think they know their site is archaic and people buying tests have slowed down. I think they decided they'd just go for it and see what would happen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aries63
Come to think of it, there seems to have been a slow-down in testing at Ancestry also. It will be interesting to find out whether the companies can confirm a change in sales. And it's hard to tell, but I don't think they'll get a "bump" out of people buying kits specifically to help LE, no matter how much people claim they want to help catch the bad guys.
I'm getting new matches at Ancestry. I had a new cousin match about 6 weeks ago.
I sent My Heritage an email this morning with the link you gave about FTDNA finding out the FBI was uploading; the one where FTDNA said only 2% of people opted out and the one that said the FBI hasn't solved a case since GEDmatch buttoned up the shop. I asked that they read the articles and consider writing at least a blog post on what they're doing to protect our accounts there because if the FBI was uploading to FTDNA, it's possible they're uploading to My Heritage too unless My Heritage has some superior program to make sure it's only accepting certain types of files that look like legit Ancestry, 23 and me or FTDNA files but I'm sure they can be doctored...
6 weeks ago? I get about 50-100 new matches every week at AncestryDNA!
Sorry, I should have said close match. I do get distant matches a lot. I couldn't tell you how many though. I'm happy every few months I get 3rd and 4th cousins in the US. All of my family is in Hungary still
I sent My Heritage an email this morning with the link you gave about FTDNA finding out the FBI was uploading; the one where FTDNA said only 2% of people opted out and the one that said the FBI hasn't solved a case since GEDmatch buttoned up the shop. I asked that they read the articles and consider writing at least a blog post on what they're doing to protect our accounts there because if the FBI was uploading to FTDNA, it's possible they're uploading to My Heritage too unless My Heritage has some superior program to make sure it's only accepting certain types of files that look like legit Ancestry, 23 and me or FTDNA files but I'm sure they can be doctored...
Will be interested to know whether you get a response! Thanks for contacting them.
Will be interested to know whether you get a response! Thanks for contacting them.
So far nothing, not even a confirmation email that they got mine.
I do wonder when they're going to close uploads because they have been saying they didn't intend to keep allowing people to upload. I'm curious how large their DNA database is.
Sorry, I should have said close match. I do get distant matches a lot. I couldn't tell you how many though. I'm happy every few months I get 3rd and 4th cousins in the US. All of my family is in Hungary still
Oh, okay. I still get a few new estimated 4th cousins or closer every week but if your ancestors are more recent immigrants, that makes sense. My husband is an immigrant himself and he hasn't had a new estimates 4th cousin or closer in over a month.
Oh, okay. I still get a few new estimated 4th cousins or closer every week but if your ancestors are more recent immigrants, that makes sense. My husband is an immigrant himself and he hasn't had a new estimates 4th cousin or closer in over a month.
Yeah, both of my parents came to the US in the late 50's. The 2nd to 4th cousin matches I'm getting for my Hungarian cousin, and I are coming from my grandparents siblings coming here in the early 1900's. I'm happy that cousins from my grandmothers sisters are finally doing their DNA.
Will be interested to know whether you get a response! Thanks for contacting them.
They replied. The rep said that My Heritage is strongly opposed to law enforcement uploading or even genealogists uploading DNA from unidentified Doe's such as what DNA Doe Project (DDP) is doing even when no crime has been committed. They have not collaborated with any DNA investigation, and they intend to keep it that way and will fight to keep them out. They're all about protecting the privacy of My Heritage users and their family members.
Their terms of service state, they prohibit law enforcement's use of My Heritage without a subpoena and to date, they have never gotten any subpoenas to force them to participate in any genetic, cold case or crime scene investigation and they also prohibit them using My Heritage for solving those cases.
I replied back saying I know that My heritage is against LE fishing in the database and my worry is that they have already been uploading DNA under fake names like they did at FTDNA. I told the rep to see the article below and how they have to read the whole article to see what LE did. Hopefully the rep will read your link and reply back.
My Heritage has always said they are eventually going to close the free uploads and in my opinion, that time is approaching due to the companies LE work with being able to make their RAW file look like an Ancestry DNA or 23 and me RAW file. You know I'm a big supporter of sending people to My Heritage to do the free upload. I would hate to see them close it but that's really the only way they can assure us that LE are not uploading.
The filters at FamilyTreeDNA started catching some attempted uploads to their database toward the end of 2018. The format was unrecognizable—something they had never seen before. So the company sent an email to the listed point of contact.
Days later, FamilyTreeDNA got a call. It was from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They had uploaded the strangely-formatted files.
The FBI had been accessing the FamilyTreeDNA website for an undetermined length of time, availing themselves of an open database policy for free uploads from customers of other companies like Ancestry and 23andMe.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
