Gedmatch no longer accepting FTDNA kits

[khazaria]

I transcribed this March 16, 2016 statement by Family Tree DNA from the image lotsalocs attached:

"We have reached out to GEDMatch expressing our concern that their website could potentially lead to a breach in privacy of our customers. Given this, we proposed to discuss the subject with them, but in parallel we suggested that until further clarification and assurances that the privacy of our customers' records are protected, Family Tree DNA uploads should be suspended. We hope that with the cooperation of GEDMatch we can reestablish the uploads in the near future."

[joannegoldberg]

FTDNA manages the projects, and could theoretically be liable if the court decides they are not providing adequate information to customers. But GEDmatch and FTDNA have no connection, and thus whatever happens with the current lawsuit would not be binding on a customer's agreement with GEDmatch.

[The_Contemplator]

Right, but that lawsuit mentions RootsWeb which is not connected to FTDNA. So I guess FTDNA isn't worried so much about Gedmatch getting sued but that FTDNA could get sued because some customer was told by some other customer to upload to Gedmatch, not knowing the data would be public.

[ech124]

I fail to understand why FTDNA is so concerned. They accept transfer accounts from ancestry.com. So if you can move your data from ancestry to FTDNA, why not FTDNA to Gedmatch?

[joannegoldberg]

You can sue over just about anything. For example, we might decide to sue FTDNA for withholding our information.

[The_Contemplator]

Until now it hadn't occurred to me that Gedmatch kits from FTDNA uploads use the FTDNA kit numbers. Others have been bringing it up on that Facebook post. Maybe FTDNA wants those Gedmatch kit numbers to be randomly generated instead.

[Darren]

Hello,

I don't have any specific insight on this one. I am asking management for more information and will provide it if able.

-Darren
Family Tree DNA

[DaveInGreece]

Darren,

I think it's terrible that management didn't tell you about this in advance. How can you be expected to do your job properly if they make a major change and don't inform you first?

And this is a major change which is detrimental to the customers. I won't be using FTDNA again until the decision is reversed and I will also tell my friends to use the competitors instead. Having the option to transfer to Gedmatch is crucial to my research since some family members have tested with the other companies. If FTDNA removes that option then I'll remove my future custom and will stop recommending your company.

And why is this happening anyway? FTDNA doesn't force anyone to transfer to Gedmatch: people do so by choice. At that point the person becomes a Gedmatch user and FTDNA ceases to have liability for (or control over) what individuals choose to do with their data.

[T E Peterman]

Perhaps this has something to do with medical testing.

Family Tree DNA apparently made agreements with a number of Attorney Generals in various states & countries that DNA in its custody isn't used for medical testing. If the data could be used for medical testing, the distribution of kits in the locales would be banned. This is apparently why Family Tree DNA didn't experience the same problems that 23andme incurred. If subsequent medical testing occurs, it might be considered a breach of the legal agreement.

If any form of gedmatch interpretation is considered to be medical or quasi-medical, Family Tree DNA may have asked them to refrain from accepting kits, until Family Tree DNA participants could be blocked from reviewing medical aspects. The simplest thing for gedmatch may have been to just say No to Family Tree DNA kits.

This is just speculation on my part. I'm just glad I got most of my relevant data uploaded to gedmatch before this ban went into effect.

Timothy Peterman

[RobM]

This decision by FTDNA with no explanation is certainly a concern for a lot of people. Similar to most other people commenting on this forum I have uploaded all the Kits I administer (with the permission of the subjects) to Gedmatch and I have another kit in the system for which I am awaiting results and which I intended to upload to Gedmatch as well. If I cannot upload that kit to Gedmatch I'll need to then test that person with Ancestry as I will all future kits that I order for my research. Even if this decision is reversed by FTDNA in the short term will it remain that way or will a future ban without notice occur? To be safe perhaps Ancestry is the future safe option.

[gtc]

We have reached out to GEDMatch expressing our concern that their website could potentially lead to a breach in privacy of our customers. Given this, we proposed to discuss the subject with them, but in parallel we suggested that until further clarification and assurances that the privacy of our customers' records are protected, Family Tree DNA uploads should be suspended. We hope that with the cooperation of GEDMatch we can reestablish the uploads in the near future.

https://www.facebook.com/FamilyTreeDNA/

[John F Smeltzer]

Thanks Darren .... you know for sure that this is MORE than a little disruptive to Admins and other users .... let's hope that it can get worked out fairly quickly and in such a fashion that FTDNA kits are not further impacted. These uploads to GEDmatch are uploaded WITH PERMISSION of the participants (at least all of mine) and I hope that point isn't lost in all of this. Some of us (many in fact) even opt for the use of alias naming and screening of all incoming requests through the use of an "In Common" email address. That too aids in quality control on the interaction and minimizes any risk of misuse of the DNA data. So ... some other thoughts this morning. The buzz on this continues to grow.

Hello,

I don't have any specific insight on this one. I am asking management for more information and will provide it if able.

-Darren
Family Tree DNA

[RobM]

Hello,

I don't have any specific insight on this one. I am asking management for more information and will provide it if able.

-Darren
Family Tree DNA

By not communicating the reason or risk I feel that FTDNA has damaged their brand by this decision. I am trying to solve a family mystery and have completed all tests through FTDNA. I am awaiting the results of a test currently with FTDNA and am concerned that I will now need to buy a test via Ancestry to submit those results to Gedmatch for comparisons. Obviously I will now need to purchase all future tests via Ancestry as I am concerned that even if this decision is reversed it will only be for the short term.

[Tenn4ever]

I hope GEDmatch won't start kicking off Family finder kits.

Yes, that is my fear. Plus, don't we own our dna. I immediately ran one of my Family Tree kits I have on Gedmatch using the 'one to many' to make sure the Family Tree kits are still in their data base.

[ech124]

Looks like the worst possible scenario is about to happen.

Please log to gedmatch and read what they have to say at the top of the screen.

Not only are they not accepting new kits, but the statement suggests the existing ones will be removed. What was supposed to be a temporary situation has turned ugly.