Author Topic: Ancestry removing matches less than 8cM  (Read 11393 times)

Offline melba_schmelba

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Re: Ancestry removing matches less than 8cM
« Reply #18 on: Thursday 16 July 20 12:03 BST (UK) »
Oh that's annoying!
I've found some useful matches in the lower numbers.
So is putting them in a colour coded group enough to 'keep them'?

Lisa
I half suspect that is some manipulation to try and dampen down resistance to the change, who knows whether it will actually 'save' matches. And of course it won't help people who don't know about it who will then lose many possible crucial matches for helping to trace their trees, and new DNA users after the change who will never see them.

Offline pharmaT

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Re: Ancestry removing matches less than 8cM
« Reply #19 on: Thursday 16 July 20 14:15 BST (UK) »
The latest LostCousins newsletter says that Ancestry plans to delete all matches less than 8cM in order to remove false ones.

And insodoing, they'll be clearing off thousands of accurate matches. Instead of tinkering with something that isn't broken, why doesn't Ancestry offer something useful like removing the 20cM cut-off or a chromosome browser? What with this, and deleting all messages and folders with their new Messaging system (you have until 31st August to download these), I'm getting a bit hacked off with Ancestry and their 'customer service'.

Peter Calver at LostCousins says there are three ways to protect matches <8cM: add them to a group, add a note to them, send them a message (which is about to be deleted by the new Messaging system so not sure how this will work).

For more info, best see the LostCousins website.

Edit Five of my common ancestors are <8cM; nearly 500 are in groups (thankfully); and more have a manual connection. Can't count the ones with notes, but there are lots. How can Ancestry say these matches are false and, therefore, worthless? I wouldn't have been able to make connections without many of them.

I've not been keeping up, what are they doing to the messaging system?
Campbell, Dunn, Dickson, Fell, Forest, Norie, Pratt, Somerville, Thompson, Tyler among others

Offline LizzieL

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Re: Ancestry removing matches less than 8cM
« Reply #20 on: Thursday 16 July 20 15:27 BST (UK) »
Are old messages going to be deleted?. I noticed it had changed a few weeks ago, but I still have messages going back to 2009, but horrendously difficult to find now. And you can't put a subject line in a message any more. It now looks like a string of texts on my phone, a whole conversation when I only want to see the latest message.

I may be off Rootschat for the next two weeks while I attend to grouping all my 6 and 7 cM matches.
Berks / Oxon: Eltham, Annetts, Wiltshire (surname not county), Hawkins, Pembroke, Partridge
Dorset / Hants: Derham, Stride, Purkiss, Sibley
Yorkshire: Pottage, Carr, Blackburn, Depledge
Sussex: Goodyer, Christopher, Trevatt
Lanark: Scott (soldier went to Jersey CI)
Jersey: Fowler, Huelin, Scott

Offline CelticMom

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Re: Ancestry removing matches less than 8cM
« Reply #21 on: Thursday 16 July 20 15:40 BST (UK) »
that is very annoying, I have managed to link lots below 8cm into my tree.
Anderson & Marr - Midlothian & East Lothian
Bennett - Devonport
Catleugh & Shiells - East Lothian
Galvin, McLaren, Cullen & Dowling - Waterford, Ireland
Littlejohns - Plymouth & London
Mansfield - Benfleet & St Pancras
Michelin - London
Newlands - Midlothian & Fife
Paterson - Canongate, Midlothian
Rutherford and Johnston - Roxburghshire
Taylor - East Lothian & Berwickshire
Thomson - Leith & Muthill
Thorney, Hawkin, Lewis - Herefordshire
Small & Paulin - Northumberland
Varrall - Kent


Offline lisalisa

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Re: Ancestry removing matches less than 8cM
« Reply #22 on: Thursday 16 July 20 15:45 BST (UK) »
Are old messages going to be deleted?. I noticed it had changed a few weeks ago, but I still have messages going back to 2009, but horrendously difficult to find now. And you can't put a subject line in a message any more. It now looks like a string of texts on my phone, a whole conversation when I only want to see the latest message.

I may be off Rootschat for the next two weeks while I attend to grouping all my 6 and 7 cM matches.

my 'old' messages disappeared some time ago.
I have recently sent a couple of messages via the contact button on the dna match page and that allowed me to put a subject line, but I just looked at sending a msg from the 'message center' and that doesn't have a subject line.
Also it shows 'read' and a time underneath the msgs I have recently sent, but I am the one who has read it at the time quoted.

Nowhere near as good as before when it seemed more like an email system within ancestry.

Offline Flemming

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Re: Ancestry removing matches less than 8cM
« Reply #23 on: Thursday 16 July 20 16:09 BST (UK) »
I've not been keeping up, what are they doing to the messaging system?

Here's a link to the thread about changes to messages. More of 'not broke but let's fix it and irritate people anyway.'

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=834405.new;topicseen#new

Offline pharmaT

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Re: Ancestry removing matches less than 8cM
« Reply #24 on: Thursday 16 July 20 18:10 BST (UK) »
I've not been keeping up, what are they doing to the messaging system?

Here's a link to the thread about changes to messages. More of 'not broke but let's fix it and irritate people anyway.'

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=834405.new;topicseen#new

There is so much on the site that DOES need fixed yet they're tinkering with stuff that doesn't.
Campbell, Dunn, Dickson, Fell, Forest, Norie, Pratt, Somerville, Thompson, Tyler among others

Offline Janethepain

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Re: Ancestry removing matches less than 8cM
« Reply #25 on: Thursday 16 July 20 19:41 BST (UK) »
As an aside, but on this same topic, is there a way you can find how many matches you have at a given cm level, in this case, from 6 - 7 cm.  I understand you can seperate those matches, using the shared DNA tab, but it doesnt tell you how many there are ( seems endless, if I page down!).

I have >40,000 matches (?? down to the 6cm/5cm interface, I assume), of which 405 are 4th cousin or closer.  I have spent quite a long time today grouping the matches at 7-7cm, but the list seems endless, so wondering is it really worth doing!!!  I would assume the 6-6cm list will be even longer!

Oh well, back to my list - I will have RSI after this, for definite!

Jane
Allison - Rumford Stirlingshire & Ireland
Quinn - Rumford, Glasgow, Monklands & Tyrone
Convoy - Rumford, Monklands & Tyrone
Burke - Glasgow, Clifden Galway
Duffy - Cleland Lanarkshire, Monklands, Falkirk, Ireland
Curran - Cleland, Ireland
Reynolds - Cleland, Shettleston, Tollcross, Antrim
McDermott - Cleland, Shotts, (London)Derry

Offline melba_schmelba

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Re: Ancestry removing matches less than 8cM
« Reply #26 on: Friday 17 July 20 00:34 BST (UK) »
A popup now appears on Ancestry with the following info and whitepaper link
https://www.ancestrycdn.com/support/us/2020/07/2020whitepaper.pdf

Updates coming soon to DNA matches
As Ancestry continues to improve the accuracy of our DNA matching algorithms, we’ll be changing the way we calculate the amount of DNA you share with your matches (read our Matching White Paper). Here’s what these changes will mean for you.

More accurate number of shared segments

The DNA you share with a match is distributed across segments - short segments, long segments, or some combination of both. Our updated matching algorithm may reduce the estimated number of segments you share with some of your DNA matches. This doesn’t change the estimated total amount of shared DNA (measured in centimorgans/cM) or the predicted relationship to your matches.

See the length of your longest shared segment
The length of the longest segment you and a DNA match have in common can help determine if you’re actually related. The longer the segment, the more likely you’re related. Segment length is also the easiest way to evaluate the difference between multiple matches that all show the same estimated relationship. Our updated matching algorithm can show you the length of the longest segment you share with your matches.

Distant DNA matches must share 8 cM or higher
Our updated matching algorithm will increase the likelihood you are actually related to your very distant matches. As a result, you’ll no longer see matches (or be matched to people) that share less than 8 cM with you - unless you have added a note about them, added them to a custom group or have messaged them. These changes to the matching algorithm will reduce the total number of DNA matches you have and the number of new matches you will receive. It may also affect the number of ThruLines you may see.

FAQs
What changes will I see in my DNA matches?
You may see the number of segments you share with your DNA matches change. You will be able to see the length of the longest segment you share with your DNA matches. Very distant matches - those you share less than 8 cM of DNA with - will no longer appear in your DNA match list or in ThruLines™ unless you have added a note about them, added them to a group or have messaged them.

Why are you making these changes to DNA matches?
We’re continually working to find improved ways to make family history discoveries through DNA. We’ve updated our matching algorithm, which will improve the accuracy and quality of your DNA matches.

Are my matches more accurate now?
Yes. Although individual results may vary, more data and improved algorithms mean that we can better detect who you’re more likely to be related to.

When will you be making these changes to DNA matches?
These updates to DNA matches will happen in the beginning of August.

Will there be a way to save or download information about matches that share less than 8 cM of DNA with me?
There will not be a way to download information about these matches before the changes to our matching algorithm take place. If you have added a note about a match, added them to a group or messaged them, these matches will remain.

Does this change my ethnicity estimate or communities?
No, this update is for DNA matches only.

Will I get this update if I’m still waiting for my DNA results?
Yes. All AncestryDNA customers will get this update.

How do I see new DNA matches based on the new algorithm?
To see a list of new DNA matches, select “View All DNA Matches” from your DNA homepage, then select the “Unviewed” filter.

Can I see the notes for matches that have been removed from my list?
Matches that you share less than 8 cM of DNA with and have added a note about will remain in your DNA match list, so you will continue to be able to see notes you have added about them.

Can I see the messages I exchanged with a DNA match who has been removed from my list?
Matches that you share less than 8 cM of DNA with and have messaged will remain in your DNA match list, so you can continue to message those matches and see past messages.

Will this change affect my Thrulines™?
Since your ThruLines™ rely on DNA matches, you may see some changes.
Does this update change how you report the amount of segments shared between two individuals?
You may see the number of shared segments between you and your matches change. Read more about how we estimate the number of shared segments.

Have you changed the amount of shared DNA needed to determine a match?
Yes, we've changed the amount of DNA you need to share to be considered a match with another individual to 8 cM.

Will my DNA match list change again?
Your DNA match list will continue to change as the science behind DNA matching continues to advance, and more people take DNA tests.