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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump donor (Blackstone Group) buys large stake in Ancestry.com
https://gizmodo.com/worlds-biggest-landlord-buys-worlds-biggest-genealogy-w-1844630685The Blackstone Group will buy a majority stake in the genealogy website Ancestry.com in a deal worth $4.7 billion, according to a press release published Wednesday. Blackstone Group, a private equity firm, is the worlds largest landlord and Ancestry is the worlds largest genealogy website, with over 6 billion records on family history in the U.S. alone. Ancestry also provides DNA testing and has over 18 million DNA test results in its databases.
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The CEO and co-founder of Blackstone, billionaire Stephen A. Schwarzman, contributes significant sums of money to the Republican Party and has close ties to the Trump regime, serving on President Trumps business advisory council in 2017. Schwarzman previously called proposed tax hikes on businesses during the Barack Obama administration, like when Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, something that he later apologized for.
Much more at the link above. I don't think this guy is going to use Ancestry.com for the reasons we use it.
Cross-posted to genealogy forum.
woodsprite
(11,914 posts)Of at least identify the "pure". I wonder if he's a member of or supports any of the Aryan or neo-nazi groups.
Demovictory9
(32,454 posts)Dem2theMax
(9,651 posts)Account actually isn't active. But all my trees are on there. Soon to be downloaded to my computer. Then will be deleting everything, including my DNA results, and canceling the account forever more.
bobbieinok
(12,858 posts)dmr
(28,347 posts)I won't trust anyone with my DNA. To do that puts my son's DNA at risk if someone nefarious got a hold of it.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,853 posts)... along with my entire family to help identify the mutated gene that causes a very rare condition.
So I never worried about it so much thereafter.
The researchers at Harvard were successful, btw.
It's not a gene that's even checked by the commercial DNA companies. All of my genes checked by 23andMe (Health) are normal.
I don't fault you for privacy concerns, though. I just felt like I signed away my DNA privacy decades ago.
katmondoo
(6,457 posts)I would not give them more money to look any further into my ancestry.
bobbieinok
(12,858 posts)This is SOOOO WRONG!!
pfitz59
(10,381 posts)Not giving Blackstone a penny
Dem2theMax
(9,651 posts)and that everybody does what you just did. I haven't been able to sit at my computer for quite a while, so I hadn't renewed my subscription. But I'm taking down all of my data. They aren't using any of it. I'm so furious about this.
I was so looking forward to starting a search on a different branch of the family tree. I guess I will be doing it the hard way from now on.
Dem2theMax
(9,651 posts)Hekate
(90,681 posts)...our most personal information.
They get staggeringly rich off what we give away for free. Sooner or later they will use it in ways we can only imagine.
And we worry about HIPAA privacy being violated? smh
ecstatic
(32,701 posts)but then I read a post on DU that explained the dangers of giving a private corporation access to my family's DNA, with zero laws and regulations in place to protect me.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,853 posts)I'm being sarcastic about the fear somewhat, but I'll be deleting my account nevertheless.
Delphinus
(11,830 posts)genealogist so can someone explain how this is a bad thing? I read through the article but couldn't see anything that seemed outright nefarious. Thanks!
backtoblue
(11,343 posts)Schwartzman is also on the board of Russia's Direct Investment Fund.
Hotler
(11,421 posts)Handing out your DNA to these companies is like giving them all your passwords and PIN numbers to all your accounts. Your DNA is your life PIN number. And never ever talk to a cop without an attorney present
Johnny2X2X
(19,066 posts)This will be big data that's sold to corporations so they can know who not to hire because they're pre-dispositioned for hereditary diseases.