Armchair Genealogy

By Melinda Cohenour

Many changes have occurred with Ancestry in the last few years. A brief recitation of Key Changes follows:

* August 2020: Blackstone Investment Corp. Purchased Ancestry and Ancestry DNA for $4.7 billion:

"Investment firm Blackstone announced on Wednesday that it was buying a majority stake in the direct-to-consumer genetics company Ancestry from its former equity holders for $4.7 billion.

"The firm will take the reins from global firms including Silver Lake, GIC, and Spectrum Equity, but GIC will retain a significant minority stake in the company, according to a press release. Ancestry was last valued at roughly $3 billion in 2017, according to PitchBook, and had eyed an IPO in 2017 and 2019, when the personal genetics business was booming."

* Concerns arise 2021 over possible publication or unintended use of DNA test results:

Although Blackstone asserts "No intention to permit sale, publication, or use of the millions of DNA test results, most financial analysts as well as DNA scientists and professors scoff. Full story may be seen at the link below.

Column: Why spend billions for Ancestry’s DNA data if you don’t plan to use it?
By David Lazarus, Columnist
April 13, 2021 6 AM PT

"Shirley Ruge has long been fascinated with exploring her family tree. At one time, that meant many hours spent combing through records at courthouses and libraries.

"For the last 20 years or so, the Indian Wells resident has focused her research on Ancestry (a.k.a. Ancestry.com), one of the leading sites for genealogical sleuthing and DNA analysis. The company says it has 18 million people in “the world’s largest consumer DNA network.”

“You find heroes in your past and you also find villains,” Ruge, 87, told me. “It’s fascinating.

“I’m one of six kids,” she said. “I want to know where we come from, and why we’re all so different.”

Lately, though, Ruge has had other questions on her mind.

Such as: Why was Utah-based Ancestry purchased in December by the New York investment firm Blackstone Group for $4.7 billion?

And: What does Blackstone plan to do with that treasure trove of genetic data, which is highly sought after by drug companies, insurance firms, employers and others?

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“I don’t believe for a second that Blackstone bought Ancestry simply because they love people,” Ruge said. “You don’t spend $4.7 billion unless you have a plan to make it back, and more.”

Blackstone says she and others needn’t worry.

“We invested in Ancestry because it is a clear leader in its industry with a digital subscription business that has continued to grow significantly,” said Matt Anderson, a spokesman for the investment firm with more than $600 billion in assets under management.

“Blackstone has not and will not access user DNA and family tree data, and we will not be sharing this data with our other companies,” he told me. “To be crystal clear, doing so was never part of our investment thesis — period.”

End of story? Perhaps not.

I reached out to a number of bioethicists to ask if they believed Ancestry users could rest easy knowing their genetic data will remain under wraps. Nearly every one of them scoffed at the idea.

"It’s naive to think Blackstone would spend almost $5 billion for an asset it has no plans to exploit, said Ellen W. Clayton, a professor of law and health policy at Vanderbilt University. “Why else would they buy it?” she asked.

..."But nearly every expert I spoke with cited the partnership announced in 2018 between Ancestry rival 23andMe and pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline.

"Glaxo purchased a $300-million stake in 23andMe, giving it access to the genetic data of the company’s 12 million users.

The genealogical site GEDmatch, which played a role in catching the Golden State Killer, was acquired in 2019 by San Diego’s Verogen, a company with links to crime labs.

“It’s important to understand that, at some point, the purpose of all these DNA companies is to monetize that data,” said Katherine Drabiak, an associate professor of public health at the University of South Florida.

“The entire business model is offering a service people want and amassing a huge amount of data,” she said. Ancestry’s new owner ignoring the value of its genetic database “would fly in the face of how these companies operate.” LAtims.combusiness

* Ancestry raised their subscription prices

When did Ancestry raise their prices?
February 1, 2022

"We're increasing our monthly subscription prices to help provide you with more content and new product features. Starting on February 1, 2022, the price of U.S monthly subscriptions to Ancestry.com for our existing customers will increase.Jan 2, 2022

Ancestry.com

We're increasing our monthly subscription prices to help provide you with more content and new product features."

* Ancestry released the largest DNA report, changing what was previously referred to as Ethnicity Estimate in what, to many, provided a picture of their "Ancestral Origins" vastly differing from prior reports:

AncestryDNA's 2024 update includes new features, a refreshed user experience, and more precise results:

New regions
AncestryDNA adds new regions based on advances in DNA science and more samples in their reference panel. This allows them to better distinguish between adjacent regions and break down larger regions into more detail.

New ethnic groups
AncestryDNA added 64 new ethnic groups from Africa, along with stories that provide cultural context.

New terms
AncestryDNA adopted new terms to describe different aspects of results, including:

Ancestral regions: Formerly known as "Ethnicity Estimate", these percentages show places where ancestors likely lived roughly 1,000 years ago.

Ancestral journeys: Formerly known as "Communities", this feature shows where relatives likely lived and moved in the past 300 years.

Subregions: Smaller, more specific areas within a region that provide added granularity.

Refreshed user experience
AncestryDNA made it easier to explore and understand origins and journeys.

AncestryDNA members receive updated regions free of charge. For 90 days after an update, members can download the prior version of their results.

The ways in which long-time Ancestry members can expect change with this change in ownership are yet to be seen.

A recent lawsuit brought against Blackstone alleging it required Ancestry.com to disclose distinct individual identities of the DNA test results purchased was dismissed as being "without merit" on its face, no evidence of such claim discovered or disclosed as evidentiary material to the court.

Guess we must stand by and see what our future brings.

My most recent "future" presented itself just today. An encounter I shall be addressing with our new Ancestry management in the coming days. We shall see if your author's unpleasant interaction today proves to be worthy of future discussion.

In the meantime, enjoy your own Armchair Genealogy.

Stay tuned, dear readers.