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Advances in our understanding of DNA have brought about many changes. One of them is just how easy it is now to obtain a DNA test. Why would someone want to test their DNA? Well, these tests claim to compare your DNA to thousands of others so you can discover your cultural heritage. The results provide a snapshot of where your DNA comes from, across the globe. But just how accurate are these tests, and can you really rely on them?
Click on the following gallery to discover if ancestry DNA tests are actually accurate.
At-home DNA kits are available from a number of providers. The testing kits are mailed to individuals after signing up and paying a fee online.
AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and FamilyTreeDNA are some of the most popular providers, who send a pack with test tube and funnel to collect the DNA sample on signing up.
The funnel contains an activation liquid that must be shaken for a few minutes, before placing the sample in a collection bag to send to the DNA testing company.
Kits usually come with a numerical activation code, that is used later to access the DNA results via the providing company's website or app.
When the sample reaches the lab, depending on the provider, the autosomal DNA is isolated in the sample. This takes information from both sides of your family.
Some tests are not this comprehensive, testing the mitochondrial DNA, which only shows female ancestry, or a Y-DNA test, which only tests for paternal ancestors.
The appeal of these tests lies in unlocking genetic mysteries, things you didn't know about your family's DNA that can stretch back generations.
What's more, the process is low effort; it only takes a simple swab of the inside of the cheek to unlock this information. But can it really be that accurate?
Genetic ancestry testing can help you identify potential relatives, and can also provide a good probability of where your ancestors came from.
However, these tests won’t give you precise data, as the interpretations are estimates based on measuring your personal genetic findings with those obtained from clients or donors in the countries where you might have ancestry.
While this testing might be useful to find the missing puzzle pieces of a genealogical inquiry, they are more of a springboard for further investigations, rather than an authority about an individual's origins.
Testing could possibly help to establish familial connections with long-lost relatives. For example, AncestryDNA claims to have a DNA database of more than 25 million people.
A database this large can increase the odds of successfully discovering matches, so seeking distant cousins or even biological parents has the potential to be a little easier.
However, AncestryDNA cannot track your maternal and paternal heritage independently or trace your ancient migration path out of Africa, for instance.
On the other hand, 23andMe offers the same type of ethnicity estimates. It claims to have a database of 12 million individuals, which makes the odds of finding long-lost relatives lower.
For male testers, 23andMe can provide an overview of the ancient migration paths of both maternal and paternal lines independently.
Their kits can also offer a paid add-on service to provide information about potential health indicators in your DNA, supplied in a collection of reports.
As we get 50% of our DNA from each parent, only identical twins will have the exact same DNA. Even siblings can have results that vary.
For instance, a sibling's DNA result, even if they share the same biological parents, can show up ancestry that doesn't necessarily show up in the other sibling.
With this being the case, a tester is still missing potentially relevant information about their genetic heritage. What they're receiving isn't the full picture: there's still a gap in the puzzle.
Aside from accuracy, there are risks that need to be considered when submitting your DNA. It involves giving an unprecedented amount of access of a sample of your genome to a private company.
Not only a risk for the genetic testing industry alone, but it's necessary to remember hacking is a possibility. One DNA testing service, MyHeritage, was subject to a hack in 2018.
More than 92 million accounts from MyHeritage were found on a private server following the hack. Although DNA data specifically was not breached, it showed a hack is still possible in this space.
A majority of customers agree to let these companies share their DNA with researcher partners. This is done with the explicit consent of the customer, although they are not the ones benefiting from it.
However, the vast majority of consumers appear to opt in—at 23andMe, more than 80%. The company offer an option to consent separately to specific disease studies in which the customer DNA is used in conjunction with for-profit drug companies.
This research process also means that data is shared with and passes through many partners. Realistically, testing companies can't ensure what their partners are doing with the DNA shared with them.
Depending on where you reside in the world, privacy laws differ greatly when it comes to genetic testing. In the US, the genetic information space is in many respects still uncharted legislative territory.
Consumers in the US are largely taking these companies at their word when they state their customers' privacy is the company's highest priority.
Law enforcement and court requests for this data are already happening, and can be done under subpoena. People might not realize that, even if not your DNA directly, a distant cousin's DNA submitted to these companies is also providing information about you.
It's also important to bear in mind that companies' privacy statements and policies change as they are bought, sold, merged, acquired, or taken over, as well as in the course of day-to-day business. Consider the risks and the value of the data you can receive from these companies before sending away your DNA.
Sources: (The New York Times) (Forbes Health) (CNBC) (The Verge) (CBC) (Ancestry.com)
See also: Is your data secure? Here's what you should delete from Social Media
How reliable are ancestry DNA test results?
There are lots of myths and plenty of risks associated with these tests
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Advances in our understanding of DNA have brought about many changes. One of them is just how easy it is now to obtain a DNA test. Why would someone want to test their DNA? Well, these tests claim to compare your DNA to thousands of others so you can discover your cultural heritage. The results provide a snapshot of where your DNA comes from, across the globe. But just how accurate are these tests, and can you really rely on them?
Click on the following gallery to discover if ancestry DNA tests are actually accurate.