The Brave New World of Genetic Genealogy
The combination of DNA and genealogy is a potentially huge force for good in the world, but it must be used responsibly
By Debbie Kennett
I woke up yesterday morning to the news that GEDmatch, the open source citizen science genetic genealogy website, was instrumental in identifying Joseph James DeAngelo as the man suspected to be the “Golden State Killer”, a serial murderer and rapist from California. As a genealogist I have been a long-time GEDmatch user and I am not at all sure how I feel about my DNA potentially being used in a criminal investigation on the other side of the Atlantic. While it is good that justice can be done and the affected families can finally have closure, there are many important ethical considerations that have yet to be considered.
DNA testing is a very useful tool for the family historian. DNA on its own is not very informative but, when compared in large genetic genealogy databases and used in combination with online genealogical sources and social media websites, it can be very powerful indeed. Adoptees, foundlings and donor-conceived individuals now have the potential to discover their genetic or biological identity through DNA testing. If you match with a second cousin you share the same great-grandparents. Using…
