Gedmatch no longer accepting FTDNA kits

[Armando]

Activity Feed in Forums

I wonder why FTDNA allows the Activity Feeds to be public but also shows the users full name when they post information and many times it is about their kit or their ancestors. It should not be allowed to be public and they should allow a person to choose an alias for posting purposes. There is a contradiction here.

[gavinkoester]

useless

I have found FTDNA to be a money grab. Information is useless, unless I want to buy more in depth kits. My information on ancestry, combined with gedmatch, has me with more names, emails, and relevant information than I know what to do with. I just ordered two more ancestry kits to replace the two I did on FTDNA.

[phx2128]

I encourage everyone to post a support ticket with FTDNA communicating your displeasure on this action!

However, I'll let you know that I've done so for many kits that I have and all you receive as a response is the standard Facebook message. In one kit, the FF results aren't posted to the account yet and I asked for a refund to test at Ancestry. Yet, I still received the same standard response not addressing my inquiry at all.

It is still important to send the message to FTDNA. They need to get a clear understanding of how much they have damaged their reputation in the marketplace.

[paulanthony1976]

Public/Private/Research and YES/NO SNP Pool

I have been using GedMatch for several years now, and what little DNA data I have uploaded there is set to the strictest privacy setting possible. It is set as a research only kit and selected to not be in the SNP pool.

This setting has not hindered my genetic research in any way. So, if anyone else out there truly has privacy concerns, then all they have to do is to select the strictest setting too. It is simply a matter of personal preference for the owner of the data to consider.

I do also run a small project, joined by invitation only, and viewable by members only, to ensure utmost privacy available for my membership.

Perhaps it is possible that some kit managers or project admins have not got the permission to upload to GedMatch in the first place? Or perhaps done so without setting the highest privacy setting possible? Or not so diligent with the privacy of their project data?

It was only relatively recently that FTDNA put decisions about privacy back into the hands of the DNA owners rather than it being controlled by the project admins or kit managers, and at that time I remember there was an outcry by many that this 'improvement' was not in the spirit of science.

Good Ethics are everything, and this what is happening now, is exactly what happens when the highest ethical standards are not followed...

[josh w.]

23&me Uploads

Would 23&me be willing to accept transfers from Ftdna clients. I have no interest in serving as proxy for either party's position.

[MMaddi]

Would 23&me be willing to accept transfers from Ftdna clients. I have no interest in serving as proxy for either party's position.

If you're concerned about heightened privacy concerns at FTDNA, why on earth would you want to upload to 23andMe? Aren't you aware of the absurd levels of privacy that 23andMe imposes on its customers?

It's a herculean task to jump through all the hoops that 23andMe has set up for two matches to share results with each other. The company has a very toxic, abusive attitude toward genetic genealogists. Basically, the attitude is "thanks for testing with us, so we can use your anonymous results for health research, but don't expect us to help you much to find cousins or even close relatives [in the case of adoptees]."

[josh w.]

If you're concerned about heightened privacy concerns at FTDNA, why on earth would you want to upload to 23andMe? Aren't you aware of the absurd levels of privacy that 23andMe imposes on its customers?

It's a herculean task to jump through all the hoops that 23andMe has set up for two matches to share results with each other. The company has a very toxic, abusive attitude toward genetic genealogists. Basically, the attitude is "thanks for testing with us, so we can use your anonymous results for health research, but don't expect us to help you much to find cousins or even close relatives [in the case of adoptees]."

I am not a big fan of 23&me. I just can't think of any other way to connect to Gedmatch. I do not wish to get involved in a public battle between Ftdna and Gedmatch. I am back in my native New York where there is a public game of 'chicken' every week. Last week it was New Jersey Transit, this week it is between Comcast and the Yankees TV network. The game is deliberate, each side encourages the public to be their advocate. The most obvious lesson--no wall can't be climbed

[hfp43]

Class Action Lawssuit

Oh dear, If I were FTDNA I think I would be more concerned about a class action lawsuit from customers objecting to a company's decision to control the use of their product after it is sold.

Add loss of value to the claim.

[MMaddi]

I am not a big fan of 23&me. I just can't think of any other way to connect to Gedmatch. I do not wish to get involved in a public battle between Ftdna and Gedmatch. I am back in my native New York where there is a public game of 'chicken' every week. Last week it was New Jersey Transit, this week it is between Comcast and the Yankees TV network. The game is deliberate, each side encourages the public to be their advocate. The most obvious lesson--no wall can't be climbed

At this point, I'd suggest AncestryDNA over 23andMe if you want to be able to upload your results to GEDmatch. Ancestry has as large or a larger database than 23andMe and is more amenable to the interests of genealogists. Also, if you have an Ancestry account, you'll have full access to the family trees of your matches.

[Tenn4ever]

At this point, I'd suggest AncestryDNA over 23andMe if you want to be able to upload your results to GEDmatch. Ancestry has as large or a larger database than 23andMe and is more amenable to the interests of genealogists. Also, if you have an Ancestry account, you'll have full access to the family trees of your matches.

I agree. I've tested with all three companies and I don't even use 23&Me. I do not like it at all. Also, if you test with Ancestry and upload to Gedmatch you will be able to match to anyone from 23&Me who has uploaded there too and there are many.

[Tenn4ever]

I am not a big fan of 23&me. I just can't think of any other way to connect to Gedmatch. I do not wish to get involved in a public battle between Ftdna and Gedmatch. I am back in my native New York where there is a public game of 'chicken' every week. Last week it was New Jersey Transit, this week it is between Comcast and the Yankees TV network. The game is deliberate, each side encourages the public to be their advocate. The most obvious lesson--no wall can't be climbed

You need to look at the price of both. 23&Me is much pricier than Ancestry.

[georgian1950]

You need to look at the price of both. 23&Me is much pricier than Ancestry.

and the 23and Me V4 chipset has some compatibility issues with the AncestryDNA and Family Finder tests.

In comparisons it might agree with the big segments, but it really misses when your look at smaller segments.

Jack

[LarryBurford]

I like 23& me the least out of the three companies I have tested at
( FTDNA, Ancestry and 23&me). They tell your Neanderthal percentage but that isn't a real big deal to me. I figure since 23&me doubled their price their time is limited anyway.

Maybe all these people that seem to be super paranoid about keeping everything private should not even be doing any DNA testing. I know a few that enjoy looking at everyone else's stuff on Ancestry but then keep their tree private.

I sent FTDNA a message about my displeasure with the Gedmatch feud but got back a generic message that I am sure they send everyone that has Gedmatch as the topic of their message. I doubt anyone really ready what I sent.

[Biblioteque]

As a "just in case scenario", I printed out my matchlist at GEDmatch to capture my FTDNA matches, although most of matches are from 23 and AncestryDna.

[Maggi]

FTDNA Gedmatch Spat

I agree with all the posters who state that those who have privacy concerns with Gedmatch should remove their data from the site. The whole reason those of us have paid for our DNA tests is to match them with others! Privacy concerns for the tiny bit of DNA tested seems ridiculous.

I resent the fact that I have gone to the expense to be tested, and the trouble to download and upload my data to Gedmatch to make the greatest number of matches only to have my expense and efforts negated on such flimsy grounds.

I am more than a little disgusted with FTDNA at this point.