Within a DNA triangulation group, what is the policy of confirming the other matches lines if they are not WikiTreers?

Question

Can relationships for the MRCA of a triangulation group be confirmed on a matches line down to where the matches line diverges and is missing? If you extend their line too far, you run into privacy issues.   What is the policy?

Answer 1

You can use matches not on WikiTree. See here:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:DNA_Confirmation#Source_requirements_if_your_match_is_not_on_WikiTree

Comments

Thanks.  Yes that is helpful regarding sourcing triangulation groups from various vendors.  And it is helpful in explaining how to mark the status of your line as confirmed.

My question is… can I also mark the lines of the others in the triangulation group for them as they are not WikiTreers.  It seems a good thing for generations close to the MRCA, but to descend down completely seems to violate privacy. ??

In one of my groups I have about 10 more relationships that could be confirmed on my matches lines, if I could do it myself.  I’ve extended an invitation to WikiTree so they could do their own line…but no response.  Most of their lines are partially there.

I’ve only confirmed my own line for now until I know what the policy is.

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I agree. I go down to the test subject's grandparents, great-grandparents or 2nd greats, depending on how many descendants there are.

In other words, if there is a good chance that the test subject can be guessed or inferred given the information in the older generations, I back off to older generations until the test subject is not so easily guessed.

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Additionally, I will not necessarily include the test subject's initials in the confirmation statement, if those initials, combined with the partial descent that I add to Wikitree, would make it likely that the person's identity could be inferred.

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Thanks Daphne…your comments help me feel better that I can do this.

Answer 2

Hi

 Almost all my triangulations are for branches where the match is not on Wikitree.

 I add the branch, usually including the living people (with closed profile status, and add the DNA match citation with the match person's identity anonymised to preserve their privacy. I try and structure that so that the person can recognise theirself, eg by initials, nickname etc.

Wikitree policies allow the creation of profiles for living people (with closed privacy setting), and relationship finder and connection finder work more effectively if those profiles are on Wikitree.

 Some Wikitreers are not willing to create profiles for living people and that's there choice.

 It is also acceptable to add open profiles for a family branch, and generate a DNA confirmation for a match by using their relationship to the last open profile on Wikitree, eg by a match of x cM to the grandson of Profile-xx.

 Greg Clarke's DNA citation app generates a DNA confirmation citations for all the above situations, that makes life much easier.

Comments

Short answer, yes you can.

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Gary Thank-you.

I have a sensitive family issue being adopted and do not wish to cause problems for living cousins.  But the DNA confirmation information is important to those many other cousins who are working hard on their trees.  

If it is acceptable, I will extend the other matches trees down to their grandparents only, including the anonamized citation. If they come to WikiTree and can connect to their grandparent they will have the rest.

Any problems with this proposal?

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I understand there can be issues, I was married to an adoptee, have adopted cousins (adopted in and out) and am partly involved in trying to find the paternal line for one by DNA confirmation.

 Sounds like you've identified a solution that fits your circumstances and Wikitree's policies.

 You could also add tags for DNA and adoption to your question, that might get more answers.

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Perfect Gary. Thanks. I’ll try to figure out how to add the tags.

And Yes. It’s important to share what we can safely. There are a lot of searching adoptees.