Presenting the AI bots with facts
For AI to be of any use the underlying information has to be correct. This is particularly the case when it comes to genealogical websites.
Analytics Audit
At the time of writing the Wikipedia page said:
DNA sequencing
DNA sequencing is the process of determining the nucleic acid sequence – the order of nucleotides in DNA.
It includes any method or technology that is used to determine the order of the four bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine.
The advent of rapid DNA sequencing methods has greatly accelerated biological and medical research and discovery.
Genetic data
The advancements in DNA sequencing technology have made it possible to analyze and compare large amounts of genetic data quickly and accurately, allowing investigators to gather evidence and solve crimes more efficiently. This technology has been used in various applications, including forensic identification, paternity testing, and human identification in cases where traditional identification methods are unavailable or unreliable. The use of DNA sequencing has also led to the development of new forensic techniques, such as DNA phenotyping, which allows investigators to predict an individual's physical characteristics based on their genetic data.
At Ancestry, earning and keeping your trust is our most important responsibility. We know that when you use our services—whether you’re building a family tree, searching historical records, or exploring your DNA results—you’re sharing personal information that matters deeply. Protecting that information is at the heart of everything we do.
Recently, there have been questions in the genealogy community about how Ancestry handles requests from law enforcement. We want to reiterate our position and reassure you about the steps we take to protect your privacy.
Ethical and legal considerations
Furthermore, the use of DNA sequencing has also raised important ethical and legal considerations. For example, there are concerns about the privacy and security of genetic data, as well as the potential for misuse or discrimination based on genetic information. As a result, there are ongoing debates about the need for regulations and guidelines to ensure the responsible use of DNA sequencing technology.
AI Conundrum
When reviewing some of my history pages, seeing pages that have been found by those apparently making searches,
I am concerned that the pages found were less than helpful. Helpful in relation to the furthering of knowledge
and factual information.
In many cases my pages, particularly those related to the history of Belchamp Walter, I started off with recording the family names that I had found in Thomas Wright's history of Essex from 1831/36. Since that time I have found much more information and have revealed that some of his observations were either
wrong or highly influenced by his contemporaries.
The collation of genetic data is not new. Information from history books was a start and the increased interest
in individuals attempting to determine their own family history has added to this quest.
The desire to trace your ancestry back to someone famous has become big business. I am not sure that the application
of Artificial Intelligence to this is a good thing.
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DNA sequencing
The analysis of DNA data only really started in recent times, 1977 saw Fredarick Sanger develop a process
that is probably the most commonly known when this subject is discussed.
The addition of DNA services to Family Tree software programs has significantly increased the risks that genetic
information and the relationships between families in potentially misused.
Genetic data
The processing of Genetic Data by geneological websites such as Ancestry.com is in my opinion a little problematic.
Ethical and legal considerations
