Ancestry DNA Gift for Candidate?

A

AmyESLP

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Jan 11, 2021
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Hi! This may be a silly thing to worry about but what are your thoughts on giving a DNA kit to your candidate for Christmas? My far-fetched concern is if he ever wants to go into the FBI or CIA. Is it a risk to have his DNA "out there". Thank you! :)
 
While novel and interesting, I personally do not want my DNA recipe in a database like that. While I have nothing to hide, our current understanding of the human genome will only rapidly expand in the coming years. It may sound conspiracy theory-ish, but there is great potential for future harm with that info IMO and I am not encouraging my family to participate in the data gathering exercise.

As an IT professional, I recognize that the data source is a juicy target for bad actors, and there are significant monetary reasons why parties would be interested in gaining access to the raw data. As such, they are always on the defensive and cyber security events occur all the time -- it just takes one to be successful and then you have to ask yourself whether this info is something you would find potentially damaging if it were published and sent to every phone in the world. Additionally, much of the data is sold for research - whether they actually try to anonymize it or not.

Key reasons I vote NO:
1) It could disclose genetic predisposition for a disqualifying condition that could impact current or future employment. In the event of a data breach, this is the genie you cannot put back in the bottle and it is now a matter of public record.
2) It could provide an exact recipe for how to harm the individual -- as in you are allergic or vulnerable to XYZ
3) It could contain information of which you are discriminated against in the future should that info become public.
 
A DNA sample will at some point be collected by the military for identification purposes, which of course has nothing to do with ancestry research.

Out of an abundance of caution, I wouldn’t at this time, though I admit I can’t quite put my finger on the exact why, but I trust my gut. I would want to know exactly what happens to my sample. Do I just get to find out where my genetic heritage geographically comes from? Or is my sample retained and made available to others for familial links? What access does law enforcement have? Who gets to see my data? What protections are in force for my data? Of course, my DNA is already in military records.

A close friend of mine found out she had two adult half siblings when they contacted her after she did one of those tests “just for fun,” and she was now in an accessible database. Her father had passed away some years earlier, the truth of what actually happened obscured by time, and a rift tore through the family when it was discovered some knew the secret and some did not. Her mother did not know.

I admit to being curious as to my own, but plan to wait until it all settles out some years down the road.
 
My wife had done 23 and me and gave me a test as a gift. I have several extended family members who also did it and I was able to see that it gave out very little info about who was related, just that they existed. It allows members to REQUEST contact with others but the default seems to be first name and last initial. I am able to see thousands of people who I have close to distant relationships and it did identify some relatively close folks that we did not know if but were later able to figure out the links.
Then, just before COVID hit the blockbuster hit. . . a half sister (older) popped up and she wanted to make contact. From the info that she provided (very little actually), I was able to figure out who she was and do a little self-protective checking to ensure I was not being scammed somehow. Things checked out and we talked on the phone and then linked on social media. Lots more info than I care to share here but we did visit last summer and there is definitely a family resemblance.
 
Family secrets. Like snakes waiting to bite. Who doesn’t know of a family story where upsets occurred when secrets were kept? I never knew my dad had been married before to someone who had been eventually committed to a psychiatric facility, and the marriage annulled, until I was a few years into the Navy. No children. My dad’s aunt, my favorite, spilled the beans to me, assuming I knew, and she and my mother did not speak for years. I never knew what the big deal was about keeping it from me. Families. You have to love them, even with the baggage and dirty laundry.
 
I did the test.

I was alerted that they found a match. My niece (30) apparently is my father’s (87) sister.

Trying to get my identical twin brother to do it to match results.
 
Wasn’t a serial killer identified because a descendant did one of these DNA tests? It’s laughable to think that Big Brother won’t have access to the results to do with as they wish. Think about health insurance companies and the damage they could do with this.

No way in hell I would ever voluntarily put my DNA out there. Yes, I know I am spreading my DNA around my world by simply existing, but there’s a big difference between voluntarily putting yourself in the database vs. an agency having you cross their radar and deciding they want to add you to their system.
 
Korab said:
Wasn’t a serial killer identified because a descendant did one of these DNA tests? It’s laughable to think that Big Brother won’t have access to the results to do with as they wish. Think about health insurance companies and the damage they could do with this.

No way in hell I would ever voluntarily put my DNA out there. Yes, I know I am spreading my DNA around my world by simply existing, but there’s a big difference between voluntarily putting yourself in the database vs. an agency having you cross their radar and deciding they want to add you to their system.
Click to expand...
Yes, the Golden State Killer in California was identified through familial DNA. He was already their main suspect and the DNA helped them confirm it. Since then 23 and Me, Ancestry, etc have changed their default info sharing to opt out, meaning it is much harder for law enforcement to get the same data now. I sat in on a brief training on the subject put on by some of the investigators on the above case. It was quite interesting.

abcnews.go.com

The 'Golden State Killer': Inside the timeline of crimes

The "Golden State Killer" crimes date back to the 1970s.
abcnews.go.com abcnews.go.com
 
Capt MJ said:
Family secrets. Like snakes waiting to bite. Who doesn’t know of a family story where upsets occurred when secrets were kept? I never knew my dad had been married before to someone who had been eventually committed to a psychiatric facility, and the marriage annulled, until I was a few years into the Navy. No children. My dad’s aunt, my favorite, spilled the beans to me, assuming I knew, and she and my mother did not speak for years. I never knew what the big deal was about keeping it from me. Families. You have to love them, even with the baggage and dirty laundry.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I can't imagine how many newly-related folks are now interrupting secrets that were long hoped locked away for life.
 
I agree with shiner's take on this. The less information you have out there the better. Don't get me started on how much of your financial data is out there. It would curl your toes. It is anonometized, packaged, collated, and sold back to financial companies for marketing purposes.
 
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