Find your family tree without compromising your data
Seven million 23andMe customers thought they were just getting insights into their family history — instead, they got their data hacked.
It went beyond names and addresses. Hackers got their hands on DNA genotypes, predispositions to certain conditions and carrier status. And they were able to hunt down genetic relatives for millions of 23andMe customers. So scary.
Here’s the good news. You can research your family history without handing over your DNA. I found ancestry resources, and none are paid family tree research sites collecting a ton of personal data.
Start with a free site
Get started with these research tools, and remember — you’re in control of what info you hand over.
- AccessGenealogy: An online directory of digital genealogy resources. They specialize in Native American genealogy research and have helpful links for pre-Civil War African-American genealogy research. Some of the sites they link to are paid — but they indicate it with a dollar sign. Otherwise, it’s all free and doesn’t require registration (links to other sites might!)
- The Statue of Liberty — Ellis Island Foundation: Know your family came through Ellis Island? Use the site’s passenger search function to find the tens of millions of Americans who had at least one ancestor pass through the port.
- FamilySearch: From the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, this platform includes a collaborative family tree tool and is free for anyone (regardless of religious affiliation). Note: You choose what data you share — just keep in mind it could be shared with third parties or the Mormon churches near you.
Then, head to these libraries
They’re for more than your next book club read. Local and statewide libraries and historical and genealogical societies host a wealth of knowledge resources.
- HeritageQuest: This tool is offered for free by thousands of public and state libraries. It’s an online database, but you must visit a physical library and use your library card to access it!
- Digital Public Library of America: This one is technically a library, but it’s free to access online, no library card necessary! You can search for family names or ask cool questions like “What did downtown Memphis look like in the 1910s when my family lived there?”
Go deeper with public records and community archives
- The National Archives: These archives include Census, military service, immigration and naturalization records. You might hit gold at county courthouses, which have even more records, such as deeds, wills and land. Some statewide archives have county-level records, too.
- Find A Grave: A subset of Ancestry, browse this free community record of cemeteries and pay your virtual respects. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also hosts a Gravesite Locator for veterans.
So … what about DNA testing?
See all the police surveillance tools used in your city
Over a million hobby drones are registered in the U.S. You may never know when you’re being watched. Check out my guide to avoiding drone surveillance. We wrote this after one hovered over my pool while I was swimming.
Looking for a long-lost relative? Try these steps to find them
As many as 23% of American children live without at least one parent. The good news: in our internet world, finding them is easier than it would have been in the past.
Depending on your circumstances, you might be able to set out on an investigative journey yourself. Where should you begin when searching for estranged or missing family members? Here are the steps to finding long-lost relatives.
Opt-out Tuesday: How to remove yourself from BeenVerified
There is a scary amount of personal information on the internet. You don’t need a degree in information technology or network administration to find someone’s email address, telephone number or where they live.
Whether you consider them shady or not, people search websites have a lot of information on all of us. The worst part is that most don’t even know their details are publically available.
Opt-Out Tuesday: How to remove your info from TruthFinder
People search sites advertise as services for finding people you’ve lost touch with.
These sites scrape personal information from local, state and federal public records, court records, social media, data brokers and forums. Tap or click here for detailed instructions for removing your information from these creepy sites.
Opt-Out Tuesday: How to remove your info from SpyFly
No matter how careful you are, your personal information will find its way to the internet. Whenever you sign up for a new account, share a photo on social media or make a purchase, another bit of your data is exposed.
Sending or storing naked pictures? You might be breaking the law
People search sites scour public records to get information on you. This includes your full name, address, phone number, family history, police records, relationships, employment information and more. Tap or click here for instructions on removing your information from these invasive sites.
Opt-Out Tuesday: How to remove your info from Social Catfish
It’s a fact that Big Tech companies collect your data to build an online profile and track your shopping and browsing habits. It doesn’t end there, however. Other companies sell your information to anyone interested.
Opt-Out Tuesday: How to remove your info from RocketReach
Companies are collecting data on you whenever you use the internet. This information is used to target you with ads or is sold to third parties. Either way, it’s terrible news.
People search sites use public records to get information on you, which is available for anyone who wants to see it. Hackers, scammers, and jealous exes all are welcome when it comes to your data. Tap or click here for our growing list of invasive people search sites and what you can do about them.
Opt-Out Tuesday: How to remove your info from Radaris
People search sites have been around for a while. They provide information on more than just phone numbers. You can find public records on anyone without having much to go on but their name. That’s what makes them so scary.
Opt-Out Tuesday: How to remove your info from USA People Search
While tech companies collect your data to build an online profile and track your shopping and browsing habits, other companies sell it to whoever is interested. Whether those interested parties are trying to scam you or serve you with ads, privacy is not something you can take for granted.
Opt-Out Tuesday: How to remove your info from Apollo.io
While tech companies collect your data to build an online profile and track your shopping and browsing habits, other companies sell your personal information to whoever is interested. This can include scammers, hackers, con artists and crazy exes.
Opt-Out Tuesday: How to remove your info from peekyou
Companies are collecting data on you if you use the internet. This information targets you with ads or is sold to third parties.
Getting hit with an ad that relates to something you were searching for is creepy, but sometimes they get it wrong. This can be damaging to your mental health. For example, if you’re a recovering alcoholic, you don’t need to see ads for local bars. Tap or click here to opt out of advertising for any topic on Google-based platforms such as Gmail, YouTube and Instagram.
Opt-Out Tuesday: How to remove your info from Private Eye
People search sites collect and sell every detail they can get their digital hands on: Your name, address, past and present phone numbers, birthday, education and employment histories, property records, financial details, police records and more.
How to remove everything you've found about yourself on Google
If you look yourself up on Google, you might encounter something you don’t want the public to see. Maybe it’s something you posted to social media years ago or records about some trouble you got into when you were younger. You might also run into data like your home address and phone number — things you don’t want strangers to know.
Is your salary posted online for anyone to see? Check this creepy site now
Sometimes, trying to protect your information is like playing Whack-a-Mole. Say one day you find out that some invasive site posted your full name, address and date of birth online. Tap or click here to stop strangers from learning where you live — and tracking you down on Google Maps.
Remove Google Search results you don’t want people to find
We all have things we’d prefer that strangers didn’t know. What happens when those private facts and photos end up online?
Keeping tabs on yourself through search engines is your first line of defense. If you know the right ways to search and what to look for, you can find sensitive personal info you would have never known was public. Here’s how to perform an exhaustive search.
How to delete yourself from people search sites
When’s the last time you did a search for your own name online? It’s fascinating, and sometimes a little eerie, to click through the results.
Some things you’ll find are just plain wrong, but there’s likely a lot of real info about you and your life floating around the web that you never realized — from your address to your relatives to where you work.
How much is my house worth?
Have you been thinking about putting your home up for sale? If so, one of your first steps is to get an idea of what it’s worth so you know what you’re getting into. As they say, knowledge is power.
Many factors go into determining the value of a home. Location, square footage, the age and condition of the house, and neighborhood “comps” to name a few.