submit other people's DNA

[gsgs]

( this has probably been asked before and should be covered
here somewhere, but I can't find it easily)

could I submit the DNA of another person under my name and testkit
so to protect his/her privacy ?
Are there contact lists where such people find each other
and exchange their samples ?
Or trustworthy companies (in Europe) where samples are intermixed
and anonymized before they are sent to FTDNA ?

[Brunetmj]

Well ok I will give this question a shot.
There are no DNA police here, so yes you could submit a sample from another person. I do believe you have to sign a statement that you are legally able to consent for the sample . This is to prevent children from testing who could not legally consent. I believe these type of signatures are just legal attempts for the company to protect themselves from law suits. Because of this authorization a person cannot be anomonoyous. Someone has to claim responcibity and of course pay for the testing. I could easily collect DNA from coworkers and submit them under my name. As long as I am willing to authorize them I doubt FTDNA cares who they are from. I also doubt they would check my ability to consent.
As a disclaimer I would never encourage someone to not be truthful. I would also encourage someone to contact the company before engaging in this kind of activity

[MMaddi]

I don't think it's a good idea for someone else to sign the consent form associated with submitting a DNA sample for testing.

Let's say you get a sample from someone and to protect their identity, sign your name to the consent form. You send it in to FTDNA and they perform the test.

Then the person changes his mind and complains to FTDNA, even though he gave you his DNA sample willingly, knowing that it would be tested and the results put in FTDNA's database. He is uncomfortable about this, even though he remains totally anonymous.

In this situation, both you and FTDNA don't look very good and are potentially in legal trouble, since you signed a consent form for DNA that was not yours or that of someone for whom you're a legal guardian. I know this is very unlikely to happen, but the consent form is there to ensure that the person being tested actually has signed and given consent. That's FTDNA's protection against any legal problems that may ensue. Otherwise, FTDNA has no assurance that someone submitting someone else's DNA for testing has not done this without the person's consent.

[Javelin]

In encountering situations where relatives do not consent, I have offered to make them semi-anonymous by changing names slightly and using my own email and address rather than theirs. In one case, they agreed under these terms, did the swab, and signed the form. In another, they still did not agree, so I gave the kit to another relative who was happy to participate.

If you really want to protect their privacy I would suggest using a slightly changed name or pseudonym, but only after getting a piece of paper with their signed consent.

[madman]

I don't think it's a good idea for someone else to sign the consent form associated with submitting a DNA sample for testing.

Let's say you get a sample from someone and to protect their identity, sign your name to the consent form. You send it in to FTDNA and they perform the test.

Then the person changes his mind and complains to FTDNA, even though he gave you his DNA sample willingly, knowing that it would be tested and the results put in FTDNA's database. He is uncomfortable about this, even though he remains totally anonymous.

In this situation, both you and FTDNA don't look very good and are potentially in legal trouble, since you signed a consent form for DNA that was not yours or that of someone for whom you're a legal guardian. I know this is very unlikely to happen, but the consent form is there to ensure that the person being tested actually has signed and given consent. That's FTDNA's protection against any legal problems that may ensue. Otherwise, FTDNA has no assurance that someone submitting someone else's DNA for testing has not done this without the person's consent.

Ftdna's consent form is just so your name and email will be public in there database and not private its not for any legal matters.

[Javelin]

Ftdna's consent form is just so your name will be public in there database and not private its not for any legal matters.

Oh, are you an attorney, then?

[madman]

Oh, are you an attorney, then?

Thats what they sent to me every time was a consent form to make my name and email public in there database and not private if you don't sign it your name will just be private.

[madman]

Here it is straight from ftdna's website

The Release Form is your written consent that allows FTDNA to share your name and email address with someone who matches your genetic fingerprint exactly.

http://www.familytreedna.com/test-instructions.aspx

[efgen]

Madman is correct -- the release form addresses sharing of name, contact info and relevant DNA information with matches. The release is optional, and if not signed, it simply means the person won't get matches or show as a match to anyone else. The release does not address consent to test the sample, so FTDNA tests samples both with and without a signed release.

There's a PDF of the consent form on the website, but it needs to be updated -- the text on the version mailed with kits was slightly modified a few months ago. Here's how the mailed version currently reads:

I, _______________________________, give permission to Family Tree DNA to make my name and email address available to my genetic match(es). A genetic match is defined in the guidelines set forth in the section entitled "Privacy Policy and Terms of Service" on the Family Tree DNA website, that I have read and understand. If another party’s genetic DNA sample is a relevant match to my DNA, I want FTDNA to release to them my name and email address or my mailing address if the email address is not supplied, together with such information about my DNA results that shows how we match, and I will receive the names and email or mailing addresses and relevant DNA results information of my matches in return. Unless I sign this Release Form, my personal information will not be shared with anyone who may match my DNA markers in any form, now or in the future. I also understand that, regardless of whether or not I sign this form, in case I choose to join a project, all of my contact information will be shared with the administrator of any project I choose to join. In the event I sign this document, I understand that FTDNA will share my name, email address and relevant DNA results information only with other persons who are a genetic match to me, and I hold Family Tree DNA harmless for all consequences of sharing this information with such other individual(s).

The person submitting DNA for this kit is: ____ MALE ____ FEMALE Signature ____________________

Ancestor's Country of Origin:
FTDNA maintains a database of family ethnic origins. If you would like to be in this anonymous web accessible database, please write the country of origin of your most distant known ancestor in the space provided. Please note, listing your ancestral origins is anonymous and will not release your name or contact information to matches.

Paternal _______________________ Maternal __________________________

Elise

[MMaddi]

Madman is correct -- the release form addresses sharing of name, contact info and relevant DNA information with matches. The release is optional, and if not signed, it simply means the person won't get matches or show as a match to anyone else. The release does not address consent to test the sample, so FTDNA tests samples both with and without a signed release.

There's a PDF of the consent form on the website, but it needs to be updated -- the text on the version mailed with kits was slightly modified a few months ago. Here's how the mailed version currently reads:



Elise

I stand corrected.

However, I wonder if the person whose DNA was obtained would agree to give it if he knew that his results, even though anonymous, would be available to be matched to others in a database. With the anonymity, it would seem like nothing to worry about, but that wouldn't stop someone from having an irrational fear about the situation.

[Lincoln]

I guess my match who has no info - no name (just blank space- no dashes, hyphens, underline etc), email etc, never signed?

[madman]

I guess my match who has no info - no name (just blank space- no dashes, hyphens, underline etc), email etc, never signed?

That person took there name and email off after they bought the test if they didn't sign the form the only person they would match is there self.

So basically if you don't sign you might as well tested somewhere else because you will only get your results and not be put in the database with everyone else.

[T E Peterman]

I always offer to masquerade identity, if the participant requests it. None have so far. Since I'm paying for the test, the e-mail contact is always me. The mailing address is always c/o me. If they wanted to protect their identity, I would also change their name to their first initial & surname, unless they had a rather common sounding name.

Timothy Peterman

[gsgs]

thanks for the feedback.

that third person could have signed the legally "required" paperwork to me,
when he gave me the sample. Or it could be from a dead person.
And the laws of my country apply, not USA-laws which I don't know much about.

There could be companies (in my country) perfoming that mixing,
like we have email-anonymizers or anonymous-surfing (mixing IDs)

there is much distrust in Europe to USA-data-safety,
they are believed to give emails,IDs,bank-account info,
telefone calls,passenger lists, ... (DNA ?) to NSA.

suppose I have mutations in common with some terrorist or other bad guy ....

[loobster]

I manage kits for myself and a few relatives. I am wondering - as I see repeated requests (almost demands) to have Family Trees required - do any of you folks who get DNA from relatives also post that relative's family tree and/or surnames? And if so, do you explicitly ask for permission to do that? Or ?

I would think for those basically wanting anonymity that posting their family tree would be a violation of that. Or am I mistaken?