Your Privacy is Ancestry's Top Priority

Ancestry.com has made it clear that your privacy is important to them. This comes after a controversial decision made by GEDmatch to open its database of nearly one million users to law enforcement following the issuance of a search warrant. Many of those users had not consented to such access.

Ancestry believes that GEDmatch could have done more to protect the privacy of its users, by pushing back on the warrant or even challenging it in court. Their failure to do so, according to Ancestry, is highly irresponsible, and deeply concerning to everyone at Ancestry.

Ancestry wants its customers to know that protecting their privacy and being good stewards of their data is their highest priority. Not only will Ancestry not share customer information with law enforcement unless compelled to do so by valid legal process, such a a court order or a search warrant, they will also advocate for their customers’ privacy and seek to narrow the scope of any compelled disclosure, or even eliminate it entirely.

Additionally, Ancestry releases a transparency report each year that outlines law enforcement requests for member data. To date, Ancestry has received no valid requests for information related to genetic information of any Ancestry member, nor have they disclosed any such information to law enforcement.

The Coalition for Genetic Data Protection which Ancestry has partnered with on this issue, was formed to advance business practices that ensure the privacy and security of an individual’s genetic data.

The Coalition believes that individuals deserve the full protection of the law when it comes to their personal and genetic data. This includes an obligation by companies who process genetic data to commit resources to closely scrutinize and challenge the validity of any warrant, including where the warrant may infringe on individuals’ First Amendment rights.

Related Articles at FamilyTree.com:

GEDmatch Updated its Privacy Policy

23andMe Made the Honor Roll for Privacy and Security

Findmypast Says its DNA Testing is Best for Protecting Privacy

< Return To Blog