[quote author=davidft link=topic=804727.msg6631204#msg6631204
3. I am not sure how sites like Ancestry, ftDNA etc can justify this (yes I know they will argue that it is the account holders giving their permission but that is not wholly true is it
I wonder if they do justify it or whether it is a breach of the terms and conditions to allow it? Do not FTDNA and My Heritage at least say they comply with EU privacy standards? But if they are not able to stop users handing over their passwords to other sites which then mine the data, that sounds to me like a major breach of privacy.Every person has many thousands of matches linked to their account who will have no say over the decision to allow access.
I am now wondering whether I should delete my results from the sites if my matches are giving access to random third party sites?
The problem is not with the companies the problem is with the individuals who share their data and the individuals who share their passwords with other sites.
When you have your DNA tested you are given a choice regarding groups of people you wish to share with. It is up to you to share carefully, the tighter you control such sharing the fewer matches you will receive.
If you then download your DNA Data and upload it to another DNA site you relieve your testing company the responsibility as to who the new company shares your data with that is between you and the new company and is decided by the new sharing rules you agree to.
Every match you can see has given their testing company the authorisation to share that Data.
If however you give a new company your sign on details you are giving that company permission to be you and receive all the information you are entitled to receive, in other words you have breach the trust of everyone who has trusted you with their information in order to gain additional information.
It is no good crying that the companies are sharing the information they are simply following their instructions and sharing with people you have told them they can trust and share the data with.
Look at it this way if you have a credit card (cc) the cc company has a duty not to share your login details with anyone else. If you breach their security process by giving your details to someone and lending them your cc then if that person withdraws all the money in your account it is not the cc card company that is at fault it is you.
People have to start accepting responsibility for their actions rather than trying to blame others.
Cheers
Guy