Effective Date: May 31, 2023
Welcome to GEDmatch. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding these Terms of Service and Privacy Policy or our services, please contact us at:
Email: gedmatch@verogen.com
Address: 11111 Flintkote Avenue, San Diego, CA 92121
By continuing to use GEDmatch, you consent to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. As always, you may stop using GEDmatch any time, and you may delete your information through the settings in your account.
GEDmatch is operated by Verogen, Inc. (“Verogen”), a subsidiary of Qiagen N.V.
Verogen respects your privacy and recognizes the importance of your personal information. We are committed to protecting your information through our compliance with these Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
You may print a copy of these Terms and Service and Privacy Policy by clicking here. If you have a disability, you may access this policy in an alternative format by contacting GEDmatch@verogen.com.
These Terms and Service and Privacy Policy describe our practices in connection with information we may collect through your use of our website (our ‘Site’). By using our Site, you consent to our collection and use of the information described in these Terms and Service and Privacy Policy.
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy Table of Contents
GEDmatch Collection and Use of Information
When you register on GEDmatch, we collect your name, an optional alias, and email address to process your registration. Once you are registered, you can provide other personal information such as your sex, Y-DNA or mtDNA haplogroup, genetic sequence/information, Genealogy data, and/or Tier1 payment information. GEDmatch will only collect your personal information if you provide it to us voluntarily. If you are located outside the United States, you consent to the storage, processing, and transfer of your personal information outside your country.
In addition, we automatically collect certain information regarding visitors to our Site, including IP address, information about your equipment, browsing actions, and usage patterns. The information we collect automatically is statistical data and does not include personal information. We use this information solely for internal purposes, such as to improve our Site.
Our Site may use third party tools to help us understand, in aggregate, the age, gender and interests of Site visitors. These tools do not reveal to GEDmatch your name or other identifying information. GEDmatch does not combine the information collected through use of these tools with personally identifiable information. The information received from these tools is used only to improve our Site and the type of information displayed to Site visitors so we can better serve those interested in GEDmatch.
GEDmatch offers you opportunities to engage in forums that are designed to be visible to other users, including comments and postings. You should be aware that any personally identifiable information you choose to submit via these forums can be read, collected, and used by other participants and could be used to send you unsolicited messages. We are not responsible for the personally identifiable information you choose to submit when you engage in such activities.
We may disclose your Raw Data, personal information, and/or Genealogy Data if it is necessary to comply with a legal obligation such as a subpoena or warrant. We will attempt to alert you to this disclosure of your Raw Data, personal information, and/or Genealogy Data, unless notification is prohibited under law.
GEDmatch’s products and services are not intended for children under the age of 13. GEDmatch does not knowingly collect any information from children. If we learn that we have collected or received personal information from a child under 13 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information.
GEDmatch exists to provide DNA and genealogy tools for comparison and research purposes. DNA and Genealogical research, by its very nature, requires the sharing of information. Because of that, users participating in this Site agree that their information will be shared with other users.
Raw DNA Data Provided to GEDmatch
If you are a law enforcement officer or if you are working on behalf of a law enforcement officer, you agree you will not upload Raw Data to GEDmatch via the GEDmatch.com website; instead, please click here to upload Raw Data via the GEDmatch PRO portal to identify the perpetrator of a Violent Crime (where ‘Violent Crime’ is defined as murder, nonnegligent manslaughter, aggravated rape, robbery or aggravated assault) or to identify human remains.
When you upload Raw Data to GEDmatch, you agree that the Raw Data is one of the following:
By registering for GEDmatch and using the Site, you agree that you will not upload Raw Data that does not satisfy one of these categories. If you have previously uploaded Raw Data that does not satisfy one of these categories, you hereby agree that you will remove it immediately.
GEDmatch will not be responsible for any Raw Data provided to GEDmatch in violation of this Policy. Violators of this Policy will have their Raw Data or other personal information deleted without warning, their access will be blocked, and/or other remedial steps may be taken, including any legal action allowed under law.
Although you may provide a real name for registration and data upload, you have the option of providing an alias for either login or data. If an alias has been provided, it will be displayed in place of the real name along with results along with the user’s email address. If DNA data you provide is linked to your Genealogy Data, and only one or the other uses an alias, it may be possible for users to see the real name in the linked data.
In today’s world, there are real dangers of identity theft, credit fraud, etc. We try to strike a balance between these conflicting realities and the need to share information with other users. In the end, if you require absolute privacy and security, you agree that you will not provide your personal information, Raw Data, or Genealogy Data to GEDmatch. If you do not agree and you have already provided your personal information, Raw Data, or Genealogy Data, you agree to delete it immediately.
Although GEDmatch has endeavored to create a secure and reliable Site for you, the confidentiality of any communication, material, or personal information provided to GEDmatch via the Site or email cannot be guaranteed.
The original Raw DNA and GEDCOM data you provide to GEDmatch is not kept in its original form. It is converted to a form that makes it more efficient for the software to perform searches and comparisons. The Genealogical Data is loaded into a relational database that might still be recognizable as text. The Raw DNA is converted to a compressed binary format in a process we call ‘tokenization.’ Although the Raw DNA is not encrypted in the usual sense of the word, it would be very difficult for a human to read it. Original uploaded files are deleted from the Site servers soon after they are processed and archived.
We encrypt your login password before putting it in our database. We cannot tell what your password is. However, there have been cases in the news of encrypted data being hacked and decoded. Be aware that may be a possibility on this or any other Site. We take measures to ensure that only registered users have access to your results, but those measures have not been and never will be perfect. Direct access to your data is available to GEDmatch personnel, including volunteers, on a need-to-know basis.
Information such as Raw Data, Genealogy Data, and profile information may be stored as an archive copy as part of a backup or recovery plan. When a registered GEDmatch user deletes or requests deletion of Raw Data, Genealogy Data, and/or profile information, copies of that information stored in an archive copy will be deleted upon storage of an updated archive copy, no later than 30 days after the user request.
Research
We may use your data in our own research, to develop or improve applications. Additionally, state genetic data privacy laws require us to provide you with notice that your deidentified genetic or phenotypic information may be shared with or disclosed to third parties for research purposes in accordance with Part 46: Protection of Human Subjects (commencing with Section 46.101) of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations. However, please note that we will not share with or disclose to third parties your deidentified genetic or phenotypic information for research purposes pursuant to Part 46.
Everybody who registers with the Site must provide a valid email address for the principal contact. It provides log-in verification and allows GEDmatch to contact them if necessary. It also provides a mechanism to verify your identity if you want to contact GEDmatch. You agree to keep your log-in information secure, and to keep your email address up to date.
Your email address and name (or alias, if provided) will be displayed along with any matches to your Raw Data or Genealogy Data. Some users obtain an email address separate from their primary email for this purpose.
You understand that any registered GEDmatch user using the tools available on the Site may gain access to the email address you provide.
You may voluntarily obtain access to Tier1 tools on the Site for the recited amount (subject to change). You may provide a one-time payment of any amount, followed by a recurring amount as agreed to by you. By choosing a recurring payment plan, you acknowledge that such Tier1 tools have an initial and recurring payment feature and you accept responsibility for all recurring charges prior to cancellation. WE MAY SUBMIT PERIODIC CHARGES (I.E., MONTHLY OR ANNUALLY) TO CHARGE YOUR PAYMENT METHOD, EITHER DIRECTLY OR THROUGH OUR PAYMENT PROCESSORS WITHOUT FURTHER AUTHORIZATION FROM YOU, UNTIL YOU PROVIDE PRIOR NOTICE (RECEIPT OF WHICH IS CONFIRMED BY US) THAT YOU HAVE TERMINATED THIS AUTHORIZATION OR WISH TO CHANGE YOUR PAYMENT METHOD. SUCH NOTICE WILL NOT AFFECT CHARGES SUBMITTED BEFORE WE REASONABLY COULD ACT. TO TERMINATE YOUR AUTHORIZATION OR CHANGE YOUR PAYMENT METHOD, GO TO YOUR ACCOUNT SETTINGS OR VIEW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANCELLING A RECURRING PAYMENT AVAILABLE IN THE GEDMATCH WIKI. Payments may also be provided by personal check to Verogen, Inc., Attn: Accounting Department, 11111 Flintkote Avenue, San Diego, CA 92121. You understand that your personal account information will be made available to Verogen when paying by personal check.
Unless you opt out of auto-renewal, which can be done through your account settings, any Tier1 tools you have signed up for on a Auto Renewal basis will be automatically extended for successive renewal periods of the same duration as the subscription term originally selected, at the then-current non-promotional rate. To change or resign your access to Tier1 tools at any time, go to account settings. If you terminate access to Tier1 tools, you may use your subscription until the end of your then-current term, and your subscription will not be renewed after your then-current term expires. However, you will not be eligible for a prorated refund of any portion of the subscription fee paid for the then-current subscription period. If you do not want to continue to be charged on a AUTO RENEWAL basis, you must cancel the applicable Paid Service through your account settings or terminate your account before the end of the recurring TERM. Paid Services cannot be terminated before the end of the period for which you have already paid, and except as expressly provided in these terms, GEDMATCH WILL NOT REFUND ANY FEES THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID UNLESS GEDMATCH DETERMINES (IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION) THERE ARE UNUSUAL OR EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WARRANT AN ISSUANCE OF A FULL OR PARTIAL REFUND.
Your non-termination or continued use of Tier1 tools reaffirms that we are authorized to charge your payment information for such Tier1 tools. We may submit those charges for payment and you will be responsible for such charges. This does not waive our right to seek payment directly from you. Your charges may be payable in advance, in arrears, per usage, or as otherwise described when you initially selected to use the Tier1 tools.
GEDCOMs (family trees) or other genealogy (‘Genealogy Data’) provided to GEDmatch remain the property of the person who uploaded it. When you upload your Genealogy Data, you will be provided a unique ID number for that GEDCOM. If you want your Genealogy Data removed from the Site, you may do so yourself by clicking on the ‘Manage your resources’ link on your home page. If you need assistance deleting a Genealogy Data, contact the Site administrator at GEDmatch@verogen.com.
Genealogy research requires the exchange of information. For that reason, all Genealogy Data provided to GEDmatch can be viewed, searched, and compared by any GEDmatch user.
You agree to privatize living individuals (other than yourself) in your Genealogy Data prior to providing their Genealogy Data to GEDmatch. In order to privatize living individuals in your Genealogy Data, you must privatize Genealogy Data that contains living individuals before uploading to GEDmatch by changing the name(s) of living individual(s) to ‘LIVING’. Upon an upload of a GEDcom to GEDmatch we will automatically review and change the privacy setting for the Genealogy Data of individuals in your GEDcom to “HIDDEN” if we believe such individuals are alive based on birth or death dates. The owner of a GEDcom will see the Genealogy Data of all individuals in their GEDcom that are both alive and deceased; other users will only see the Genealogy Data of deceased individuals.
We take steps to prevent your Genealogy Data from being available to the casual web surfer or to the search engines (e.g. Google). However, we cannot guarantee that your information will never be accessed by individuals other than GEDmatch users. If you require absolute security, you agree that you will not upload your Genealogy Data to GEDmatch. If you have already uploaded it, you agree to delete it immediately.
You will be given the opportunity to link your Genealogy Data with other DNA data you provide. This is a powerful tool and we encourage people to use it. It also provides a means of access to your Genealogy Data to people who may have no Genealogy Data of their own at GEDmatch. It will also enable identification of individuals within the provided Genealogy Data, even if the individuals are not identified in the Genealogy Data.
DNA data uploaded to GEDmatch.Com (‘Raw Data’) remains the property of the person who uploaded it. When you upload Raw Data, a kit number will be assigned at the end of the upload process and you will be prompted to select a privacy option for the DNA kit. This number is unique to the individual DNA upload, and will be used on the pages of this Site to identify your data, including being provided to anyone that shares DNA with the Raw Data. If you wish to contact the Site administrator regarding your data, you must provide the kit number associated with your data. A link or other means is provided within your GEDmatch account to remove your data from the Site. Alternatively, you can request deletion of your personal information at any time by contacting us at GEDmatch@verogen.com. It is possible that an old kit number may be reassigned to another user’s uploaded data in the future if you delete your Raw Data.
No means are provided on the Site to make Raw DNA or other DNA data available for download.
There are 4 classes of privacy options for the DNA kit on this Site: ‘Private’, ‘Research’, ‘opt-in’ and ‘opt-out’. You will be asked to select which category will apply when you upload DNA data. If you ever want to change the category, use the pencil icon link next to the kit number on your home page. If you are a resident of the European Union (“EU”), United Kingdom (“UK”), Lichtenstein, Norway or Iceland, please see the corresponding “EU and UK Data Subject Rights” sectiona> below. Alternatively, if you reside in California or Virginia, please see the corresponding “Information for California Residents” section or “Information for Virginia Residents” section, respectively.
‘Private’ DNA kits will not be available for any matching comparisons with any other people (including law enforcement). No comparison results will be shown unless this privacy setting is changed by you later.
‘Opt-in’ We will compare your DNA kit to all other kits in the GEDmatch database to find your matching genetic relatives. Kits in the database include those submitted by users undertaking personal genetic genealogy research and adoptee searches. Your kit WILL be compared with kits submitted by or on behalf of law enforcement to identify perpetrators of violent crimes or to identify human remains. The operators of GEDmatch encourage everybody to select this option.
‘Opt-out’ We will compare your DNA kit to all other kits in the GEDmatch database to find your matching genetic relatives. Kits in the database include those submitted by users undertaking personal genetic genealogy research, adoptee searches, and users (including law enforcement) attempting to identify unidentified human remains. Your kit WILL NOT be compared with kits submitted by or on behalf of law enforcement to identify perpetrators of violent crimes.
‘Research’ DNA kits will not be shown in match result reports generated for other kits (including kits submitted by or on behalf of law enforcement). Genealogy and Genetic Genealogy require the sharing of information. This option is provided primarily for artificially created research kits, but may be used for regular uploads if you have specific reasons for doing so.
By default, your Raw Data is not available to any user of the Site – not even you. However, you understand that anyone with the kit number for Raw Data can perform many or all of the same GEDmatch functions with that Raw Data that the provider of that Raw Data can perform.
There may be options where you may join a ‘sharing pool’ which has the potential for disclosing additional information about you or your data. If you choose to join a sharing pool, you should carefully read the conditions and disclaimers associated with that sharing pool. By joining the sharing pool, you are agreeing to abide by those conditions and disclaimers.
The nature of genealogy research requires the exchange of information. That use must also be tempered by respect for the rights and privacy of other individuals. Anybody found to be using this Site in ways not consistent with this principle of human decency will be subject to an immediate ban with all their data removed. Examples include, but are not specifically limited to, spam mailing lists or publishing other people’s user names and kit numbers from match lists or other personal information without their permission. If relevant permission is not obtained from any applicable person, then any personal information (including, without limitation, user name and kit number) must be removed before reposting or publishing results. This principle also applies to the related or non-related persons included in Genealogy Data or other data uploaded to this Site. Determination of any violation of this principle will be at the sole discretion of GEDmatch administrators.
While the results presented on this Site are intended solely for genealogical research, we are unable to guarantee that users will not find other uses, including both current and new genealogical and non-genealogical uses. For example, some of these possible uses of Raw Data, personal information, and/or Genealogy Data by any registered user of GEDmatch include but are not limited to:
You understand that future genealogical and non-genealogical uses may be developed, including uses that GEDmatch cannot predict or foresee. If you find any of these current or future uses unacceptable, do not provide Raw Data to GEDmatch, and remove any of your Raw Data already provided to this Site. It is our policy to never provide your Genealogy Data, Raw DNA, personal information, or email address to third parties, except as noted herein. You have the right to access the personal information that GEDmatch has collected about you. You may do the following at any time by contacting us at GEDmatch@verogen.com:
The analysis and comparison results presented on this Site are provided ‘as is’ and no representations are made regarding their accuracy or usability. Changes in software and analysis tools may be made from time to time that could change results from those previously provided. We do not make any promises about: (a) the functionality of the Site or the Site tools; or (b) the quality, accuracy, reliability, or availability of the Site, including about any personal information, Raw Data, or Genealogical Data provided to the Site. Any reliance you place on information found at the Site is strictly at your own risk. We disclaim all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on such information by you and any other visitor to the Site, and by anyone who may be informed of any of its contents. The operators of this Site are not responsible for the consequences of using the information provided on this Site.
Anybody wishing to have their provided Raw Data or Genealogy Data removed from the GEDmatch database may do so using the removal/deletion link or other means provided within your GEDmatch account. Alternatively, you can request deletion of your personal information at any time by contacting us at GEDmatch@verogen.com.
GEDmatch administrators reserve the right to remove any Raw Data, Genealogy Data, or personal information from the database, for any reason, at any time, either with or without notice. Any or all services at GEDmatch.com may be terminated at any time, without notice, for any reason, at the sole discretion of the GEDmatch administrators.
Cookies may be used by this Site to enable certain privacy and log-in capabilities. A cookie is a small file placed on your computer. You have the ability to delete cookie files from your computer at any time or avoid cookies by configuring your browser to reject them or to notify you when a cookie is being placed on your computer. Please note that because of our use of cookies, our services do not support “Do Not Track” requests sent from a browser at this time.
This Site may contain links to advertising placed by third party sites. Advertising by third party sites may be placing and reading cookies on your browser, or using web beacons to collect information, in the course of ads being served on this Site. We have no control over how third party sites may utilize cookies. If you feel that a third party site is engaging in unethical or illegal use of this capability, please notify us so that we may take appropriate action to remove that link.
To explore what cookie settings are available to you or to modify your preferences with respect to Cookies, you can access your cookie management settings by clicking here this link. To find out more information about cookies generally, including information about how to manage and delete cookies, please visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org/ or https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/ if you are located in the European Union.
Information about Interest-Based Advertisements:
We may serve advertisements, and also allow third-party ad networks, including third-party ad servers, ad agencies, ad technology vendors and research firms, to serve advertisements through the GEDmatch services. These advertisements may be targeted to users who fit certain general profile categories or display certain preferences or behaviors (“Interest-Based Ads”). Information for Interest-Based Ads (including personal information) may be provided to us by you, or derived from the usage patterns of particular users on our services and/or services of third parties. Such information may be gathered through tracking users’ activities across time and unaffiliated properties, including when you leave our services. To accomplish this, we or our service providers may deliver cookies, including a file (known as a “web beacon”) from an ad network to you through our services. Web beacons allow ad networks to provide anonymized, aggregated auditing, research and reporting for us and for advertisers. Web beacons also enable ad networks to serve targeted advertisements to you when you visit other websites. Web beacons allow ad networks to view, edit or set their own cookies on your browser, just as if you had requested a web page from their site.
Users in the European Union should visit the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance’s user information website http://www.youronlinechoices.eu/.
GEDmatch operators will not be held responsible for the loss of Raw Data, whether as a result of mechanical failure, software malfunction, human error, or any other means.
We cannot predict what the future holds for DNA or genealogy research. We cannot predict what the future will be for GEDmatch. It is possible that, in the future, GEDmatch will merge with, or operations will be transferred to other individuals or entities. If that happens, the operating personnel at GEDmatch will change. GEDmatch reserves the right to provide access to your data (including Raw Data, Genealogy Data, profile information, and other personal information) to those other individuals or entities, which may include people not currently involved in GEDmatch operations. This Policy will continue to apply to the Site until you receive notification of changes to the Policy. If this possibility is not acceptable to you, you agree that you will not provide your personal information, Raw Data, or Genealogy Data to GEDmatch. If you have already provided personal information, Raw Data, or Genealogy Data, you agree to remove it from GEDmatch immediately.
GEDmatch shall have no liability to you under this Policy, it being acknowledged and agreed that the Site is provided solely for your convenience. If the foregoing limitation of liability is found to be unenforceable, GEDmatch’s liability to you for any cause of action arising from the Site or under this Policy will be limited to any amount paid by you to GEDmatch for the Site during the twelve (12) months preceding such cause of action. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, this Policy shall not limit or exclude either party’s liability for gross negligence or intentional misconduct of a party or its agents or employees, or for death or personal injury. The parties agree that the limitations on and exclusions of liability in this Policy were freely negotiated and are an integral part of the bargain, in that the Site would not have been available for the same price and under the same terms and conditions had such limitations on and exclusions of liability not been included in this Policy. Some states or jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties, so some of the above limitations may not apply to you. Further, some jurisdictions prohibit the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, so the above limitations may not apply to you.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold GEDmatch and any of their affiliates, any of their successors and assigns, and any of their respective officers, directors, employees, volunteers, contractors, consultants, agents, representatives, licensors, advertisers, suppliers, and service providers, harmless from any liability, loss, claim, and expense, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, related to your violation of this Policy or use or misuse of the Site. We reserve the right, at our own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, in which event you will cooperate with us in asserting any available defenses.
In this section, we have included some legally required disclosures under U.S. state and EU/United Kingdom privacy laws. If there are any conflicts between this section and any other provision of these Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, the portion that is more protective of personal information in your country or state of residence shall control to the extent of such conflict. While these laws apply only to residents of the specified jurisdictions, all users have the ability to change, correct or delete their information through their account settings or by contacting us at GEDmatch@verogen.com.
This chart details the categories of personal information that we collect and have collected over the past 12 months:
| Category of Personal Information | Examples of Personal Information We Collect | How We Use Personal Information | Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Information: |
| Profile or Contact Data |
|
To enable you to create an account and log in to and use GEDmatch, to communicate with you (including to provide support and answer questions), to understand how our users interact with GEDmatch, and to improve our offerings. We also use this information in accordance with your specific opt-in/opt-out settings for law enforcement and research purposes, as described in more detail above. |
|
| Payment Data and Commercial Information About Your Transactions with Us |
|
To receive and process payment for the Tier1 version of GEDmatch, and to provide you with the GEDmatch service. |
|
| Device/IP Data |
|
To provide the GEDmatch services, to understand how our users interact with GEDmatch, and to improve our offerings. |
|
| Web Analytics |
|
To provide the GEDmatch services, to understand how our users interact with GEDmatch, and to improve our offerings. |
|
| Consumer Demographic Data |
|
To provide the GEDmatch services, to understand how our users interact with GEDmatch, and to improve our offerings. |
|
| Biometric Data |
|
To provide the GEDmatch services, and in accordance with your specific opt-in/opt-out settings. |
|
| Photos, Videos and Recordings |
|
To understand how our users interact with GEDmatch and to improve our offerings. |
|
| Categories of Data Considered “Sensitive” Under the California Privacy Rights Act and the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act |
|
To enable you to create an account and log in to and use GEDmatch, to communicate with you (including to provide support and answer questions), to understand how our users interact with GEDmatch, and to improve our offerings. To provide the GEDmatch services, and in accordance with your specific opt-in/opt-out settings. |
|
| Other Identifying Information that You Voluntarily Choose to Provide |
|
To provide the GEDmatch services, to understand how our users interact with GEDmatch, and to improve our offerings. |
|
In addition to the specific uses described above, we also use personal information for fraud protection, security and debugging purposes, and we may use and disclose personal information for meeting legal requirements and enforcing legal terms, as described in more detail above.
We will not collect additional categories of personal information or use the personal information we collected for materially different, unrelated or incompatible purposes without providing you notice. If you are a California resident, please note that we only use or disclose your sensitive personal information for the purposes set forth in section 7027(m) of the CCPA regulations and we do not collect or process sensitive personal information with the purpose of inferring any characteristics about California residents.
Information for California Residents
Under the CCPA, California residents have certain rights regarding their data, including:
Access
You have the right to request certain information about our collection and use of your personal information over the past 12 months. In response, we will provide you with the following information:
If we have disclosed your personal information to any third parties for a business purpose over the past 12 months, we will identify the categories of personal information shared with each category of third party recipient.
Deletion
You have the right to request that we delete the personal information that we have collected about you. Under the CCPA, this right is subject to certain exceptions: for example, we may need to retain your personal information to provide you with the GEDmatch services or complete a transaction or other action you have requested, or if deletion of your personal information involves disproportionate effort. If your deletion request is subject to one of these exceptions, we may deny your deletion request. If you have a GEDmatch account, you can also delete your information through your account settings.
Correction
You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate personal information we have collected about you. Under the CCPA, this right is subject to certain exceptions: for example, if we decide, based on the totality of circumstances related to your personal information, that such personal information is correct. If your correction request is subject to one of these exceptions, we may deny your request.
Cookies Data Sales and Sharing Opt-Out
In this section, we use the terms “selling” and “sharing” as they are defined in the CCPA. As described in the Cookies section above, we have incorporated cookies from certain third parties on the GEDmatch website. These cookies allow those third parties to receive certain information about your interaction with the website that is associated with your browser or device. Those third parties may use that data to serve you relevant ads on our services or on other websites you visit. Under the CCPA, our sharing your personal information (specifically, Device/IP Data and Web Analytics) obtained through third party cookies for online advertising (“Cookies Data”) may be considered a “sale” of information and may also constitute “sharing” for cross-context behavioral advertising under the CCPA. You can opt out of our selling and sharing of your Cookies Data by following the instructions in this section.
We sell and/or share (and, over the past 12 months, we have sold and/or shared) your Cookies Data to and/or with Advertising Partners for the following business or commercial purposes:
You have the right to opt-out of the sale and/or sharing of your Cookies Data. You can opt-out using the following methods:
Once you have submitted an opt-out request, we will not ask you to reauthorize the sale and/or sharing of your Cookies Data for at least 12 months.
To our knowledge, we do not sell or share the personal information of minors under 16 years of age.
We Will Not Discriminate Against You for Exercising Your Rights Under the CCPA
We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights under the CCPA. We will not deny you our goods or services, charge you different prices or rates, or provide you a lower quality of goods and services if you exercise your rights under the CCPA. However, we may offer different tiers of our services as allowed by applicable data privacy laws (including the CCPA) with varying prices, rates or levels of quality of the goods or services you receive related to the value of personal information that we receive from you.
Other California Resident Rights
Under California Civil Code Sections 1798.83-1798.84, California residents are entitled to contact us to prevent disclosure of personal information to third parties for such third parties’ direct marketing purposes; in order to submit such a request, please contact us at GEDmatch@verogen.com.
If you are a resident of California, you have a right to file a complaint alleging a violation under the GIPA with California’s Attorney General or other applicable state officials. To file a complaint alleging a violation under the GIPA, please contact:
If applicable, you may also file a complaint alleging a violation under the GIPA by contacting the applicable state officials listed below:
Information for Virginia Residents
If you are a Virginia resident, you have the rights set forth under the VCDPA. Please see the “Exercising Your Rights” section below for instructions regarding how to exercise these rights. Please note that we may process personal information of our customers’ end users or employees in connection with our provision of certain services to our customers. If we are processing your personal information as a service provider, you should contact the entity that collected your personal information in the first instance to address your rights with respect to such data. Additionally, please note that these rights are subject to certain conditions and exceptions under applicable law, which may permit or require us to deny your request.
If there are any conflicts between this section and any other provision of this Privacy Policy and you are a Virginia resident, the portion that is more protective of personal information shall control to the extent of such conflict. If you have any questions about this section or whether any of the following rights apply to you, please contact us at gedmatch@verogen.com.
Access
You have the right to request confirmation of whether or not we are processing your personal information and to access your personal information.
Correction
You have the right to correct inaccuracies in your personal information, to the extent such correction is appropriate in consideration of the nature of such data and our purposes of processing your personal information.
Portability
You have the right to request a copy of your personal information in a machine-readable format, to the extent technically feasible.
Deletion
You have the right to delete your personal information.
Opt-Out of Certain Processing Activities
We process your personal information for targeted advertising purposes. You have the right to opt-out of the processing of your personal information for targeted advertising purposes. To opt-out of our processing of personal information obtained through third party cookies for online advertising purposes, please follow the method described in the “Exercising Your Rights under CCPA and VCDPA” section.
You have the right to opt-out from the processing of your personal information for the purposes of profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects to you, if applicable.
Appealing a Denial
If we refuse to take action on a request within a reasonable period of time after receiving your request in accordance with this section. In such appeal, you must (1) provide sufficient information (including account login credentials, first name, last name and/or email address) to allow us to verify that you are the person about whom the original request pertains and to identify the original request, and (2) provide a description of the basis of your appeal. Please note that your appeal will be subject to your rights and obligations afforded to you under the VCDPA. We will respond to your appeal within 60 days of receiving your request. If we deny your appeal, you have the right to contact the Virginia Attorney General using the methods described at https://www.oag.state.va.us/consumer-protection/index.php/file-a-complaint.
You may appeal a decision by us using the following methods:
Email us at: gedmatch@verogen.com (title must include “VCDPA Appeal”)
Call us at: (858) 285-4101
Exercising Your Rights under CCPA and VCDPA
To exercise the rights described in this Privacy Policy, you or, if you are a California resident, your Authorized Agent (defined below) must send us a request that (1) provides sufficient information (including account login credentials, first name, last name and/or email address) to allow us to verify that you are the person about whom we have collected personal information, and (2) describes your request in sufficient detail to allow us to understand, evaluate and respond to it. Each request that meets both of these criteria will be considered a “Valid Request.” We may not respond to requests that do not meet these criteria. We will only use personal information provided in a Valid Request to verify your identity and complete your request. You do not need an account to submit a Valid Request.
We will work to respond to your Valid Request within the time period required by applicable law. We will not charge you a fee for making a Valid Request unless your Valid Request(s) is excessive, repetitive or manifestly unfounded. If we determine that your Valid Request warrants a fee, we will notify you of the fee and explain that decision before completing your request.
You may submit a Valid Request using the following methods:
Email us at: gedmatch@verogen.com
Call us at: (858) 285-4101
If you are a California resident, you may also authorize an agent (an “Authorized Agent”) to exercise your rights on your behalf. To do this, you must provide your Authorized Agent with written permission to exercise your rights on your behalf, and we may request a copy of this written permission from your Authorized Agent when they make a request on your behalf.
Information for Nevada Residents
If you are a resident of Nevada, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of certain personal information to third parties who intend to license or sell that personal information. Please note that we do not currently sell your personal information as sales are defined in Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 603A.
Information for European Union and United Kingdom Residents
If you are a resident of the EU, UK, Lichtenstein, Norway or Iceland, you may have additional rights under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”) or the UK Data Protection Act with respect to your personal data, as outlined below. For this section, we use the terms “personal data” and “processing” as they are defined in the GDPR, but “personal data” generally means information that can be used to individually identify a person, and “processing” generally covers actions that can be performed in connection with data such as collection, use, storage and disclosure. Verogen will be the controller of your personal data processed in connection with the GEDmatch services.
Personal Data We Collect
The “GEDmatch Collection and Use of Information” section and the chart above detail the personal data that we collect.
Personal Data of Children
We do not knowingly collect or solicit personal data from children under 16 years of age; if you are a child under the age of 16, please do not attempt to register for or otherwise use GEDmatch or send us any personal data. If we learn we have collected personal data from a child under 16 years of age, we will delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe that a child under 16 years of age may have provided personal data to us, please contact us at GEDmatch@verogen.com.
Personal Data Use and Processing Grounds
We will only process your personal data if we have a lawful basis for doing so. We process your personal data as a matter of contractual necessity to provide you with the GEDmatch services. For example, we need your contact information in order to enable your account, provide support and communicate with you, your payment information to provide you with the Tier1 level of services if selected by you, and, at your option, your DNA and genealogical data so that you can use the GEDmatch services for genealogical purposes. We also process your personal data when we believe it furthers the legitimate interests of us or third parties. For example, we process your device ID and we generate web analytics in order to understand how our users use GEDmatch, so that we can improve GEDmatch for everyone. In some cases, we process personal data based on the consent you expressly grant to us at the time we collect such data. For example, your personal data will only be processed for law enforcement and/or research access when you expressly opt in, as described in more detail above. When we process personal data based on your consent, it will be expressly indicated to you at the point and time of collection. From time to time we may also need to process personal data to comply with a legal obligation, if it is necessary to protect the vital interests of you or other data subjects, or if it is necessary for a task carried out in the public interest.
EU and UK Data Subject Rights
You have certain rights with respect to your personal data, including those set forth below. For more information about these rights, or to submit a request, please email us at GEDmatch@verogen.com. Please note that in some circumstances, we may not be able to fully comply with your request, such as if it is frivolous or extremely impractical, if it jeopardizes the rights of others, or if it is not required by law, but in those circumstances, we will still respond to notify you of such a decision. In some cases, we may also need you to provide us with additional information, which may include personal data, if necessary to verify your identity and the nature of your request.
Transfers of Personal Data
The GEDmatch service is operated by Verogen, a company based in the United States. You acknowledge that any personal data you submit to, or that is collected by, the GEDmatch service is received by Verogen in the U.S. and will be hosted on U.S. servers or may, in the future, be hosted on EU servers operated by Verogen or its service providers. This is necessary for Verogen to be able to provide you with the GEDmatch services as requested by you and set forth in these Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. If you do not wish for your data to be processed and hosted in the U.S. or in the EU, please do not use the GEDmatch services. While Verogen receives or collects personal data directly from you as the EU or UK data subject, Verogen takes the protection of your personal data seriously. In some circumstances, your personal data may be transferred to the U.S. pursuant to a data processing agreement incorporating standard data protection clauses.
If you are located in the European Union or the United Kingdom, you may use the following information to contact our Data Protection Officer and our European Union-Based Member Representative:
We retain personal information about you for as long as you have an open account with us or as otherwise necessary to provide you with the GEDmatch services. See the “Security” section about our retention and deletion of original uploaded files. When establishing a retention period for specific categories of data, we consider who we collected the data from, our need for the personal information, why we collected the personal information, and the sensitivity of the personal information. In some cases we retain personal information for longer, if doing so is necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes or collect fees owed, or is otherwise permitted or required by applicable law, rule or regulation. We may further retain information in an anonymous or aggregated form where that information would not identify you personally.
For example:
We may update the GEDmatch.Com Terms of Service and Privacy Policy at any time. We will inform you of updates by posting an announcement on the Site, by sending you an email and/or by some other means. You agree to review the updated terms and policy, and by continuing to use the Site after we have posted a notice on the Site about the update, you accept the changes to the GEDmatch.Com Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Please note that if you’ve opted not to receive legal notice emails from us, those legal notices will still govern your use of our services, and you are still responsible for reading and understanding them.
Verogen Inc. is incorporated in the State of Delaware, USA
Email: GEDmatch@verogen.com
US Mail:
Verogen, Inc.
11111 Flintkote Avenue
San Diego, CA 92121
Resources
Email
support@gedmatch.com
Address
19300 Germantown Rd.
Germantown, Maryland
20874
