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A General Update regarding Ancestry and Ancestry DNA
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?
Opinion: The risks of sharing your DNA with online companies aren’t a future concern. They’re here now
Oct. 18, 2023
Author Edward Humes
DNA is solving cold cases everywhere. One true-crime writer thinks that’s a tricky path
Nov. 22, 2022
“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
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.
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