ABSTRACT
Family history research gives rise to a range of ethical dilemmas, not only for the researchers, but also their families and other impacted parties, and organisations providing ancestry services. In this chapter we discuss how genealogical researchers can navigate issues of sensitivity, privacy, consent and academic integrity. We look at some of the associations that exist in various countries that provide ethical guidelines and professional standards for researchers to follow. We also examine the ethical issues from a company standpoint, both for ‘traditional’ ancestry companies and for those providing direct-to-consumer DNA testing services. We explore how the notion of ‘informed consent’ becomes more complex where genetic information is involved, implicating not just the individual engaged in a contract with the company, but also their immediate relatives, and in some cases perhaps even whole communities.
