Is there a way to block or hide DNA information from profiles?

+3 votes
341 views
With all the new data protection laws, I would like to see all references to who I might be related to by DNA removed from any profile I manage. If we can not ban DNA, can we at least make it optional?

Thank you!
WikiTree profile: Agnes V. Versch
in WikiTree Help by Living Troy G2G6 Pilot (174k points)
recategorized by Jillaine Smith
Disconnecting your parents from your profile will do it.

Marking them non-biological might do it, but those flags are hard to unset once they're set.

PS  That won't work for "any profile I manage".  But privacy settings should hide the DNA info.
Actually I have posted screen shots of familytreedna.com tested groups my ancestors are in and I think this is good because they are available in "public" results and do not show first names, only surnames. FT is up on privacy issues!

I think posting these screen shots could be helpful for those who think they may connect to the lines to be able to see MDA (most distant ancestor).

4 Answers

+11 votes
You can delete your DNA test.
by George Fulton G2G6 Pilot (626k points)
I have not taken a DNA test, but some cousins have and their info shows up on my profiles.
Sharon, remember that the only profile that is "yours" is your personal profile. Of you. We do not own the profiles we manage. I concur that we should have the right not to display on our own profile what we don't want displayed. But we can't expect the same of shared profiles even if we're the managers of them.
+12 votes
If you are referring to those others who have taken DNA tests and whose names are now listed in the DNA section of your profile - I'm not sure you can do anything about that.

The reason being that those people did do a test and they did consent to placing their DNA test details on wikitree, and they do seem to be related to you.

The Wikitree system automatically updates relatives by DNA.

Wikitree assumes that anyone who is a member wants to be found by relatives.
by Robynne Lozier G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)
I want to be found by relatives, but not through DNA. Email is better. So are well sourced trees with primary source documentation. DNA is a nuisance and does not use standard genealogical research methods.
Even primary source documentation can be wrong!
DNA doesn't lie.
+9 votes
Even though you manage those profiles... there are many more people who share the same ancestor, and they have opted to have their DNA test details publicly displayed in order to find other potential matching cousins.
by Dennis Wheeler G2G6 Pilot (569k points)
But Dennis she's talking about her own profile. I'm one of Sharon's cousins. I took a DNA test, uploaded the results to WikiTree, and my DNA connection shows up on Sharon's profile. She's seeking permission to remove that display from her own profile.  That seems to be a reasonable request.

EDIT: oops she's asking about other profiles she manages.  But my point remains: we should still have the option to remove DNA Links from our own profile.

EDIT 2: and my name / Dna fest is NOT listed on her profile! Strange it should be. We're fourth cousins. But a lot of other people are listed there.  Closer cousins I imagine.
It goes 8 steps, which in this case is 5 up and 3 down.
+2 votes
Please watch the following video from NBC News about the dangers of DNA testing:

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/video/your-dna-is-the-next-big-privacy-battleground-1239532099767
by Living Troy G2G6 Pilot (174k points)
Adoptees may have no other choice but to use DNA to find their biological family.

Would you deny adoptees the opportunity to find their biological family?

Same thing for those born of spern donor parents. They too may be looking for their biological families.
He's spreading FUD -- fear, uncertainty and doubt.
Good! it is time people were concerned about corporations having our DNA in their databases! I refuse to take a DNA test, because I don't want corporations or the government keeping DNA records on me. My DNA is my private information, not to be sold on the internet. And I don't want people who have some DNA in common with me making that available on my pages. I should be able to at least hide this information. After 40 years of genealogy, I already know most of my close cousins anyway.
Since I am not adopted nor from a sperm donor, I do not need DNA info on my profiles. My parents don't even want their names online. I don't mind names and dates, but DNA information is unwelcome clutter.
I’m all for my DNA being used by medical research companies. Hopefully they’ll discover something interesting.
I only knew of one dna company that stated that they destroy the dna sample, but sadly they have gone out of business swamped by cheaper dna testing companies that I have no doubt onsell your dna to other vested interests.

I found this comment - I have already covered the fact that both 23andMe and Ancestry sell your DNA to whomever for whatever they see fit.- in a blog. Good thing I chose NOT to test with these 2 companies!

It seems that My Heritage also sells anonymized DNA information, but not the DNA itself.

And FT DNA does not sell your DNA period!!

I chose to do my test with FT DNA and upload only the raw data text file to My Heritage.

As for the blog post - the writer had a motive. Their brother died of cancer in 2012 and they are somewhat pissed about that - because conventional medicine did not save the poor boy!!

But of course conventional medicine does nothing to cure cancer. They use chemo to make huge profits, and make money off your poor health!!

If you want to cure cancer you have to go alternative. It has been done and it works too.

But I am getting off topic.

23&me, Ancestry and My heritage all sell your DNA results and FT DNA and GEDmatch do not.

So those are your choices. If you are an adoptee looking for biological family, you have to weigh that up against your DNA details being sold off.

Below is the blog post I was quoting from. It is a LONG post - so be warned.

https://dna-explained.com/2016/05/25/beware-the-sale-of-your-dna-just-because-you-can-upload-doesnt-mean-you-should/

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