So Much DNA Testing Has Put Others Privacy At Risk

I may be in a minority here, but I feel we have just become too afraid of things here. If I had the extra cash, I would have mine tested. For no other reason, I would like to know more about my heritage. My ex sis in law and my niece got theirs done, and it was interesting. My niece knew that she was Italian on both sides of her family, and has some Polish from my side (my mom was Polish), but she found many other small amounts of heritage, including a small fraction of Asian...small yes, but now she wonders if that is the cause of her Asian looking eyes.
 

A great aunt and her husband escaped from the Nazi's from Austria to New York city sometime in the 30's (we saw them on the passenger list). My cousin (and I helped her and I'm sorry now) searched for what happened to our great aunt and with help from the genealogy website we found the two daughters that were born in the U.S. They wanted nothing to do with my cousin and I really didn't want to get involved in the first place. Another great aunt escaped from Austria, too. We found where she had been in the U.S. even though she had changed her name. People don't understand suspicions and paranoia unless you've lived through it.
 
I've tested at multiple sites and have no issues with that data being out there at all. Agree with dkay that if someone in my family commits a crime heinous enough to need DNA evidence, I'd happily supply mine.

I do genealogy as a hobby and part-time professionally--have found that DNA is very useful for breaking through what's known in the genealogy world as "brick walls" when family lore says x person is your ancestor but you have no proof.
 

Privacy, in this day and age, is an illusion. My sister never had a computer, never went on the internet, never drove a car, never used a cell phone, yet, when she passed away, earlier this year, someone who knew her in high school, believing she was doing a good thing, put my sister's short obit on Facebook, complete with a picture of my sister, taken at the facility she was at. My sister would have been beyond horrified, as she was fanatical about her privacy.
 
Scammers reading obituaries and death notices for information.

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2018/scams-using-obituaries.html

People don't realize how much sensitive information they voluntarily give up on a regular basis. This is one reason one should think about what they give out as to not give scammers or abuser information on a silver platter.

Just a note because it's resent but California is getting ready to force data miners to buy personal information. Some worried it could weaken other privacy laws. Once somebody buys it they can do what ever? Or is private information like a copyright.

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.co...-california-data-dividend-20190505-story.html
 
treeguy64 said:
Privacy, in this day and age, is an illusion. My sister never had a computer, never went on the internet, never drove a car, never used a cell phone, yet, when she passed away, earlier this year, someone who knew her in high school, believing she was doing a good thing, put my sister's short obit on Facebook, complete with a picture of my sister, taken at the facility she was at. My sister would have been beyond horrified, as she was fanatical about her privacy.
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Ugh, the presumption of some people is beyond the pale. I hope you told the "helpful" person to butt out. I'm a very private person too, and all the internet intrusion into my life is annoying but unavoidable it seems.
 
Sunny said:
I'm tempted to make Jennifer my new avatar, but I'm too lazy.

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Isn't that Loni Anderson?
 
What bothers me about hose DNA tests are the ways you can op -out of being in the "open" pool, where your info is open to anyone. Say if I DO NOT opt out. I want all my info never to be disclosed in any way. Now my brother takes the tests and he doesn't care if his info is online for anyone to see. Our DNA will be close to being identical. There is no DNA in the universe that is closer than between siblings. How do you divulge his DNA without compromising me? What if some one does a family search and my brother's DNA pops up?
 
fuzzybuddy said:
What bothers me about hose DNA tests are the ways you can op -out of being in the "open" pool, where your info is open to anyone. Say if I DO NOT opt out. I want all my info never to be disclosed in any way. Now my brother takes the tests and he doesn't care if his info is online for anyone to see. Our DNA will be close to being identical. There is no DNA in the universe that is closer than between siblings. How do you divulge his DNA without compromising me? What if some one does a family search and my brother's DNA pops up?
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This is the problem with any family information. Say you want to keep your mother's history off one of those ancestry websites. But a sibling put's it on or simply researches it. Because of that search your mother's maiden name, a common security question is out there. Just a search request can help create a file. Also previous addresses other common security questions wind up going on the net. Type in any family and see what pops up for free. That usually means somebody searched it or put it out minus public records like court cases, convictions etc.
 
Another problem is the reliability of the information. I was in several hospitals and care facilities. You wouldn't believe the misinformation now in my "chart". I have allergies listed that I don't have. Diagnoses that aren't mine. According to my "chart", there are medication errors - the wrong meds. the wrong dosage. I tried to get the allergies taken off my record, but it is impossible to do that. My physician tried, but even he couldn't get them erased. So, I can imagine how DNA data could also be corrupted and not be able to be fixed.
 
If it were up to the government, everyone’s DNA would be collected at birth.
 

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