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| Gary Larson |
This is going to be a post where I'm screaming into the void.
For obvious reasons there is a renewed interest in heritage and ancestry and geneological descendants. Here we go again.
I'm reading blogs and SM posts where people are doing their geneological trees (unless you go into archival records of births almost impossible) and DNA ancestry.
The latter is probably one of the best scams I've ever seen.
1. This is not how DNA or the genome works
2. There is no test at present that can test your ancestry accurately. I DONT CARE WHAT THE INTERNET SAYS.
Seniors are the most gullible target group
3. Your genetic information is your property
DNA based Anc.
This is data fed into a computer database and your paying for a printout. If you have anything African in your printout (and you're white); congratulations you got duped.
Most Americans have European heritage. If youre white based on the law of probability there'll be a high percentage of a European mix. Mostly western because...eastern Europeans didn't track it and there is not much of a data base in North/west Africa, especially none that could differentiate countries there.
So. Where are all those genome differences coming from if there is no data set to compare it to and differentiate from?
Well. Your geographic location is one data set. Haven't seen the forms you fill out. Next up is that it's being compared to other people who are sending it in, probably not your ancestors.
POCs can be African, Caribbean or other places. Also not being considered because there is NO data. (I'm picturing some poor bloke named John Lamar the fifth sitting in an office: Hey John could we take a swab again to throw it into the mix again as evidence)
Instead of a pyramid scheme you're probably getting friends and family involved because hey you're from France (dating as far back as Gaul?) or Prussia or Germania or I'm tired of this.
23a.me was valued at 6billion in 2021, probably made 5.9, went bankrupt, selling your genetic info in the process. There's a class action lawsuit at the moment:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/nov/30/why-i-regret-using-23andme-i-gave-up-my-dna-just-to-find-out-im-british
I'm angry because I'm tall, blonde and blue-eyed and for the last decade I have to listen to strangers' ancestral history (who approach me in RL) when I wasn't asking and it's getting more frequent. (See previous posts). And because this is harming humans and animals alike.
Covid went Bat to human to human. Suddenly pangolin DNA was in the test. They are critically endangered already.
If this BS continues then you may have to explain that ancestral derpy shepherd in your genome to your family one day.
Here are some ethical implications dating back to 2009:
https://jlhochschild.scholars.harvard.edu/publications/politics-genomics-research-implications-dna-racial-identity-and-race-based
And for your DNA as your property (and another lawsuit)
The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a very good book
Submitting your DNA may have the opposite effect of what you intend.
Update. Found another article:
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/reporters-dna-ancestry-tests-caught-me-off-guard/
I did it, regret it, could tell it was all made up and based on a faulty Data Base of just whoever else got scammed. I had the Curiosity factor due to A: We have Adoptions in our Family History so a lot of Unknowns B: I come from Two Cultures that just didn't have Written Language and therefore no Written Family Historical Data. I had a Dear Blog Friend who was a Retired Geneticist, she told me pretty much what you just did {after the fact when my results came back rather like a Bad Joke}. She said there is Human DNA and they can tell you are of that Species, there's not Racial DNA that's a Manmade construct. She said if she has Canine DNA for example it can't tell you whether that's a St. Bernard or a Chihuahua, just a Canine. Scams abound, sometimes we fall for them. The Mysteries of my Family shall remain so and Oral History will have to do for us to hand down to future generations of our Family. Whether accurate or not, they make for great Stories, so... whatever. *Smiles*
ReplyDeleteCodex: There is no shame, I can understand the emotional appeal and how important it would be in your case. That's exactly what they're playing on and making a lot of money on. People don't realize that it's made up and that a computer program is looking at past DMV and other historical data base records. As you discovered yourself.
DeleteA lot of harm can be done with that info.
They should be paying people for the samples with full disclosure.
My sister was very much into genealogy through research not the DNA BS. Her research pushed one line back to possibly the 900s in Denmark, as far as she was able to get. But she did submit for 23 and me and the results basically echoed her research...England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Germany, France, Scandinavia...basically northern and western European.
ReplyDeleteCodex: They're accessing historical records based on geography and the frequency of people with your last name. Not DNA based.
DeleteIt's important for taxonomists and zoologist because they can reclassify animals but those are very expensive tests done by specialized labs.
My sister used her married name. I use my original name so I don't see how basing the results on frequency of last name works unless her husbands ancestry was the same as ours. Plus her genealogical research included at least 10, maybe 12 family lines, all different last names.
DeleteIt was one example. Old European cities often had families with same last names if they came from the same area. Most of the data is public record these companies pay to have access to the same records your sister did. They're global so a lot of access and then some.
DeleteThe only thing we can test for is the species, immediate family a few genetic markers for abnormalities. Not much more.
Put in a different way are they digging up people from 100 years ago to get their DNA. Hope not.
Unless they were very important.
I don't pretend that it's a faultless system. I am certainly aware that the African results I wrote about could be errors, which I acknowledged in my post.
ReplyDeleteBut as I said in my response to your comment, based on what I know about my family, my results were very accurate overall. They conform to the genealogical information I have, and even though I sent the results from London and they had no knowledge that I was American, they pegged me to the exact regions of the USA settled by my forebears. I think that's pretty impressive.
They also correctly linked me to some cousins who also had their DNA analyzed. (And neither of us knew the other was doing it.) So it's not all balderdash.
I don't care one whit about "owning" my DNA. They are welcome to study it and compare it in whatever way they wish.
Correction: I sent the test from London, not the results.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteCodex: Codex: They're accessing huge data bases names, medical records. Cmon Steve, a religious gene? Most Jay's were European for thousands of years. minority from middle east. But Crohns is common so that's how they guessed Dave.
ReplyDeleteWe have the genome but no clue what anything does. Not debatable.
If it makes you happy though.
A good investigative journalist would send it in from different countries different names to figure out how one unique genome.e is shared in data bases.
Well, and if it makes you happy to tear people down and meanwhile share nothing about yourself. Whatever gets you through the night, as the song goes.
DeleteCodex: @Steve, That is unfair. I wasn't tearing you down. Not at all. Writing doesn't communicate tone of voice or intent.
DeleteIf it makes you happy was genuine. If this is fun and you believe it, I give up trying to convince you otherwise.
If I didn't care I wouldn't have been back on your blog.
If you want to double check email a molecular biologist or geneticist.
The reason we can differentiate various homicide, Neanderthals r Cromagnons is because they're different species. We can't do that within homo sapiens.
As to tear down be more specific, so there are no assumptions.
Codex: @Steve You haven't read all my posts or comments. There's enough there. I'm very clear that this is not a personal blog or that spouse doesn't want to be mentioned.
DeleteI also know that people are talking that I don't share enough and am not interested in doing so just to satisfy people's curiosity. Plus, people don't care.
Covid was an eye opener. I lost people in my community of science and the medical field who put their lives at risk to save others. others were silenced. Researchers can't access what they need and worse. many are withdrawing from the public because the public prefers charming drifters.
London is a special place, most other places are no longer functional.
And maybe, there are reasons that I have to be careful and if people do not respect that then it's not the right community for me. I extended a peace branch, ball is in your court.
oh entered Hominids four times look what it got replaced with. Keeps me up at night.
Codex: autocorrect is glitching again
ReplyDeleteCodex: @Steve I posted my responses a few hours ago, but disagreeing on science isn't a personal attack. Saw that you already removed me from your blogroll. Disappointed thought you'd be more inclusive.
ReplyDeleteThis makes a lot of sense and I was not very smart when I submitted mine. I am sorry the person in your comments was mean to you. The world has become a dark place.
ReplyDeleteCarl
Codex: Hello Carl
DeleteHow could you know? All three companies combined that's a 100 million people worldwide.
Thank you Carl, kind of you. I think that there maybe other issues.
Codex: odexFebruary 5, 2026 at 3:18 AM
ReplyDeleteCodex: @[...] I posted my responses a few hours ago, but disagreeing on science isn't a personal attack. Saw that you already removed me from your blogroll. Disappointed thought you'd be more inclusive.
[...]
CodexFebruary 5, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Ah. It wasn't directed at you nor did I write the post for you. I was talking about the guardian journalist and that for over a decade scientists have been warning about these companies and the media wouldn't investigate. And there are countless other examples.
I'm a scientist by training and career. About a decade ago people started attacking our knowledge and us personally. Completely random people.
I see you as a gifted photographer. So imagine people start yelling at you that photography doesn't exist. Bad covid analogy.
What you read as condescension is frustration. Again nothing to do with you and yes I'm careful. I explain it in my post. I do expect adults to work out misunderstanding but I would want to be warned if there is a scam.