Controlling stake in Ancestry

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  • ewd76
    FTDNA Customer
    • Sep 2017
    • 67

    Controlling stake in Ancestry

    Not directly related to ftdna, but I wonder how if at all this will affect online genealogy.


    https://www.blackstone.com/press-rel...SvI1HxIJri7yT4
  • benowicz
    FTDNA Customer
    • Oct 2016
    • 577

    #2
    So one equity fund is buying Ancestry from a different equity fund.

    Typical game plan for an equity fund takeover would be a round of brutal 'rationalizations'--reducing the level of service offered customers and implementing shameless monetization schemes. The long term plan isn't to hold for income, but to flip for profit.

    I haven't followed closely, but I believe Ancestry already has some monetized data sharing arrangements with other companies vis-a-vis their customers' DNA, but maybe they'll become even more aggressive about it. That's one obvious option.

    Here's one possibility: Some American companies are already working with the Chinese government to establish a library of genetic reference data for use in tracking/controlling ethnic minorities and political dissidents. Maybe new management will consider extending their portfolio in this direction as well. Companies aren't always diligent about informing customers about this sort of thing in a timely manner, so it may be quite a while if ever we find out about such an arrangement.

    Speculation, but in the absence of some specific affirmative statement from management, this is inevitable. Not that you can take what a company says at face value, anyhow.

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    • DJ Brooks
      E-FTA59898 / L3e2a1b1
      • Jan 2021
      • 25

      #3
      Originally posted by ewd76 View Post
      Not directly related to ftdna, but I wonder how if at all this will affect online genealogy.


      https://www.blackstone.com/press-rel...SvI1HxIJri7yT4
      Blackstone is buying up everything they can get their hands on. Even entire neighborhoods. I understand why they buy homes so that private citizens can't build equity and wealth and eventually turn the country into a open fiefdom. But a DNA testing company? I wonder if they are in bed with the health insurance industry and want access to people's genetic data. It's certainly not for the historical archives.

      Comment

      • Jim Barrett
        R-BY55907
        • Apr 2003
        • 2981

        #4
        Maybe it is for the money Ancestry makes from their subscriptions. Ancestry's income from DNA sales is only a drop in a very big bucket.

        Comment

        • eawurster
          FTDNA Customer
          • Jul 2017
          • 9

          #5
          I don't know why things like this happen, but our investment in BX (Blackstone) shares in 2017 has paid out $300 in dividends over 2 years. The share price has also doubled.
          A company like Blackstone has a Private Equity (PE) branch. They look for opportunities to invest cash for a stake in the company's revenue. Ancestry then uses the cash to fund new features and products. I hope it works for everyone but of course there are failures in business.

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