Ancestry Lets Customers Opt-Out of DNA Matches

One of the reasons why genealogists choose to take a DNA test is because they hope their results will help them add to their family tree. DNA is one resource that can connect two people, who don’t know each other, but are related. Ancestry is allowing customers to opt-out of having their DNA results shared. This appears to be causing some controversy.

Ancestry posted a blog that has information about this change. Their purpose was to give customers greater control over their own data and also to enhance customer privacy.

Part of the Ancestry blog post says:

“…Today, in that spirit of continually providing customers greater control and choice, we are introducing the ability to choose of whether or not to view and be viewed by their DNA matches.

Customers can now decide if they want to have access to the list of people they may be related to and be shown as a potential family member for other customers with whom they share DNA. While connecting family is one of the main benefits of our service, we also recognize that not everyone is open to discovering their extended family.”

People who currently are an Ancestry customer, and who want to continue to see and be seen by their DNA matches, don’t need to do anything. You will still have access to your DNA Match list and you will still show up as a potential match to others.

If you want to opt-out of DNA Matching, you need to change your preference on your DNA Settings page. Opting-out will mean that you no longer have access to your DNA Matches and no longer will be shown as a DNA Match for others. Customers can change their minds, and opt-in or opt-out of DNA Matches at any time.

Some people left comments on Ancestry’s post. Many pointed out a problem with this change that Ancestry may not have considered. It makes it harder for adoptees to find their biological family members. It is possible that an adoptee’s biological relatives will opt-out of being on the DNA Match list. It is an unfortunate coincidence that Ancestry announced this change in November, which is National Adoption Month.

Other commenters expressed dismay about the change because they feel it lessens the value of both the AncestryDNA test results and Ancestry.com’s service. People point out they paid for access to information that is now, potentially, going to be hidden from them.

Related Articles at FamilyTree.com:

* Ancestry Enhances Collaboration and Roles on DNA Results

* AncestryDNA Introduces Genetic Communities

* Ancestry Explains How to Read Your Ethnicity Estimate

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