Terms of service
Please review this agreement carefully. If you have any questions, queries or comments regarding these Terms, please contact us at info@ancestral-legacy.com.
By agreeing to this agreement, eligible members of the public who wish to purchase our service (“customer”, “client”, “you”) agree to allow Ancestral Legacy to provides its service(s) as described herein and in the Privacy Policy. You also agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree with anything stated in these Terms of Service, please do not purchase the service.
1. Purpose, Disclaimers and Scope of Service
Ancestral Legacy (“we”, “our”, “us”) provides a DNA analysis service to its customers. Customers are also provided with the option of receiving a free (shipping and processing not included) DNA collection, or “testing”, kit as gift alongside their purchase of a report, if they have no DNA data to provide, yet would still like to receive our DNA analysis service. The detail and exhaustiveness of this analysis varies depending on the package/tier purchased. Our analyses offer insights into the genealogical background, and in certain tiers, the inherited characteristics and DNA matches of the DNA data you provide us with.
If the service you purchase includes a DNA relatives/matches report, you understand that this is solely for the private viewing of relevant parties (such as but not limited to oneself and one’s family). You agree that you will not publicly publish the personally identifiable information (names, aliases, and emails) of your matches, unless you have their explicit consent to do so. All responsibility for the censorship of the personally identifiable information of your matches if/before you publicly publish your match list falls upon you. We accept no liability for your inability to comply with or understand this agreement.
By agreeing to these terms, you understand that, if you elect to receive a free DNA collection kit ("kit") alongside your report, you are not purchasing the kit. You agree and understand that you are receiving it as a gift. You also agree and understand that any increase in price associated with your election to receive a free DNA collection kit as a gift, alongside your paid DNA report, cover our shipping, handling and processing costs associated with the kit, alone, and you understand that any price increase as a result of this election to receive a free kit alongside your DNA report as a gift are not associated with the free kit you receive, as an item itself.
Ancestral Legacy is not a medical practice nor is it any other healthcare service or provider. Although some of our DNA reports are health related, these are no more than predictions regarding a possible tendency towards particular medical conditions. These are not intended to be used for medical diagnosis, recommendation, prevention or treatment. If you have any concerns or queries regarding these predictions, you should consult with a doctor, or a similar qualified healthcare professional. If you ignore this disclaimer, and do use the information obtained through our service for self-diagnosis, treatment or prevention of any disease, health, or medical conditions, you do so solely at your own risk.
The service and information provided by Ancestral Legacy are for research, genealogical, informational, and educational use only, and are not intended for us in the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of any disease, health or medical condition.
Ancestral Legacy cannot ensure that all the analyses mentioned in our service description will be included in your final DNA report. This is due to many factors, majorly: the genetic markers (SNPs) we look for in your DNA data to provide certain reports in our service may not be present in the DNA data you provide us, or the DNA data we have sequenced from the DNA sample you provide us. Certain genetic markers may be present, but may have a "no call" genotyping error. This mainly applies to the Genetic Traits, Genetic Health, and Haplogroup Story reports, though this may apply to any other aspect or facet of our service(s). Ancestral Legacy does not accept any liability for inability to provide reports or analyses as a result of poor DNA data coverage, quality, or sequencing errors.
Ancestral Legacy cannot ensure the accuracy of any of our analyses. This is a result of a multifaceted range of factors, including but not limited to these reasons:
If your DNA data has a miscalled genotype in a key genetic marker strongly related to a specific trait, medical condition, or in an ancestry informative marker, this may skew your results away from reality. Furthermore, we cannot ensure that the estimates of genetic relation between you and your DNA matches/relatives that we provide to you are accurate, as a result of limiting factors such as (but not limited to) overlap or inaccurate estimation methods. Although we strive to provide the most accurate DNA analyses we possibly can, we cannot guarantee that our reports will be accurate, as even under perfect circumstances with regards to your DNA data, the models and programs we use to predict, infer or estimate information about the DNA data you provide to us, or that we have sequenced, may be flawed or inaccurate. We do not accept any liability for the inaccuracy of our reports or analyses as a result of DNA data coverage, quality, sequencing/genotyping errors, or flawed/inaccurate DNA analysis programs/models.
We are not responsible for any direct or indirect consequences that may arise from clients’ interpretation of their reports, or others’ interpretation of their reports.
While we strive to deliver services within a typical timeframe, Ancestral Legacy makes no guarantees regarding delivery times and assumes no liability or responsibility for delays. Our estimated delivery timelines are as follows: for digital files, processing and delivery generally take between 2-7 business days; for services involving a DNA kit, delivery and processing typically range from 1-2 months after we receive the required samples. These timeframes are provided solely as general estimates based on standard processing conditions and are not binding.
Delays may occur due to factors beyond our control, including but not limited to demand fluctuations, technical issues, third-party processing times, and unforeseen events. By purchasing our services, you acknowledge and accept that delivery may extend beyond the estimated timeframes and agree that such delays shall not constitute a breach of these Terms or give rise to liability, damages, or refunds.
In choosing to utilise our services, you agree that Ancestral Legacy is not obligated to meet any specific timeline and that any timeline estimates provided are for informational purposes only.
For customers electing to receive a free DNA collection kit, Ancestral Legacy may, at its sole discretion, provide periodic updates regarding the shipping, processing, and overall progress of the service. These updates are intended as an optional courtesy and are neither guaranteed nor obligatory.
We reserve the right to modify, delay, or omit such updates without prior notice and without incurring any liability. If updates are provided, they may not adhere to any specific schedule and should not be relied upon as an indication of the exact status or timeline of your service.
By opting for DNA kit services, you acknowledge and accept that any progress updates, if offered, are not a contractual obligation and do not constitute a binding representation of service completion or delivery timelines.
2. Eligibility and User Responsibility
To use our DNA testing and analysis services, you must be at least 13 years of age (unless the laws of your location, place, or residence require a higher minimum age). By purchasing our service(s), you represent and warrant that you meet this minimum age requirement. If you are over the minimum age, but below 18, your parents or legal guardians must consent to your use of the service. The website will display a mandatory parent/guardian consent form when a customer determined to be above the minimum age, but below 18, attempts to make a purchase. In the consent form, a parent or guardian is required to enter their full name and email address and to check boxes that declare that they are a parent or guardian of the user, accept this agreement and the privacy policy of the service, and take responsibility for the use of the service by the individual. If the consent form is displayed, the transaction may not completed until it is completed. When the consent form is filled out and submitted, the service will document the details of the Parental Consent and will not make any further use of the details of the parent or guardian filled in the consent form. We are not responsible for confirming the accuracy of information provided by the parent or guardian. It is the sole responsibility of the minor’s parent or guardian to provide accurate information in the consent form. We reserve the right to request proof of age at any point during our interactions with you. We retain the sole discretion to determine the adequacy of this verification. Individuals under the age of 13 are not permitted to access or use our services, and any accounts or transactions associated with such individuals may be terminated or voided.
You agree to provide accurate, complete, and current information at all stages of the process, including during the purchase, registration, and sample collection. Failure to provide accurate information may impact the accuracy of your results or our ability to complete your report. We are not responsible for any inaccuracies or incomplete results caused by incorrect or false information provided by you.
If you have elected to receive a free DNA collection kit alongside your report as a gift, it is essential to follow all sample collection instructions provided for optimal accuracy of your DNA report. You acknowledge that proper collection, storage, and shipment of your DNA sample are your responsibility. We are not liable for any errors in results caused by incorrect or incomplete sample collection or mishandling.
3. Data Privacy, Consent, Rights and Limitations
We collect and use your genetic data to provide DNA analysis reports for the insights you included in the package(s) you have ordered. If you do not have existing DNA data, you may elect to receive a DNA collection kit to collect a sample, which will be sent to the MyHeritage laboratory in the United States of America for sequencing, and will be stored in their laboratory. Once sequencing is complete, we will analyse your data and prepare your report.
As part of our service, we upload your DNA data to GEDmatch, a third-party platform, to identify genetic relatives and run diagnostics on your file. This allows us to share potential genetic relatives with you, if included in the service you purchase.
By using our service, you consent to your data being shared with MyHeritage for sequencing and with GEDmatch for the purpose of identifying genetic relatives and running diagnostics on your data. These third-party platforms may have their own terms of service and privacy policies, which we encourage you to review.
We may use your anonymised data for our own research purposes. By agreeing to these terms, you provide explicit consent for our research use of your data. We will never knowingly provide your data or results to third parties not listed in these terms for research purposes, without your explicit consent. If you choose to allow other GEDmatch users to discover your kit profile on our account through GEDmatch's One-to-many DNA matching tool for the purpose of being able to contact you through our email, we do not take liability for their (GEDmatch users') actions, which may include using your data for research purposes. Unless you provide an alias, we will use the name you have provided us on your kit profile. This name will be visible to other GEDmatch users if you elect to make your profile public. We do not take liability for your identification by any GEDmatch user if you wish to make your kit profile public. You may request a change in the privacy of your kit profile by contacting us, and we will fulfil your request where our legitimate interests apply, within a time frame we deem appropriate, on a case-by-case basis, at our sole discretion. We will never opt-in to law enforcement access to your DNA data on GEDmatch or MyHeritage. We will also never sell your DNA data or results to third parties.
We securely store our copy of your genetic data on a physical encrypted hard drive, as well as on MyHeritage and GEDmatch's servers. We do not accept any liability for breaches of data, either in our storage, or those of third-party services, such as MyHeritage or GEDmatch. The third parties in question do meet high data protection standards, so such an event is very unlikely. We store your data for 1 calendar year after you receive your report, in case you wish to upgrade to a higher tier service, or in case we have potential updates to your results to inform you of. After this 1 years period passes, we delete your data from our systems as well as requesting its removal on your behalf from those of MyHeritage and GEDmatch, within an additional 365 calendar days period. We do not accept any liability in the very unlikely circumstance that MyHeritage or GEDmatch do not remove your data from their servers upon our request on your behalf.
You have the right to access your genetic data and analysis report at any time. To do this, please contact us, and we will process your request where our legitimate interests apply, within a time frame we deem appropriate, on a case-by-case basis, at our sole discretion. You may also request deletion of your data from either our systems, from GEDmatch, or from MyHeritage. To do this, please contact us, and we will process your request within a time frame we deem appropriate, on a case-by-case basis at our sole discretion, where our legitimate interests apply.
Our reports are for personal, informational use only. You may not reproduce, distribute, or use the reports or data for any commercial purposes without our prior written consent.
You may revoke your consent to our handling or sharing of your genetic data at any time by sending us an email; however, this may limit the services we can provide, and we will process your request where our legitimate interests apply, within a time frame we deem appropriate, on a case-by-case basis, at our sole discretion.
GDPR-Specific Rights and Information:
To provide our services, your genetic data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA), including the United States. These transfers may include sending your data to MyHeritage for DNA sequencing and GEDmatch for genetic matching.
While we strive to protect your data in compliance with applicable laws, privacy protections in non-EEA countries may differ from those within the EEA. By using our services, you consent to these transfers, and we encourage you to review MyHeritage’s and GEDmatch’s privacy practices to understand their protections for your data.
GDPR-Specific Rights
We are committed to protecting your rights under the GDPR, and the following rights apply specifically to EU and EEA residents.
Right to Access and Data Portability
You may request access to the personal data we hold, as well as a copy in a format of our choice for portability purposes, subject to our internal review. We will evaluate requests for data access and portability based on practical feasibility and, where appropriate, provide data as available within our systems.
Right to Rectification
If any of your data appears inaccurate, you may ask for corrections. We will review such requests to determine feasibility and appropriateness, and changes will be made at our discretion in line with internal practices. Timelines for corrections may vary based on data availability.
Right to Restrict Processing
You may request that we limit processing of your data under certain conditions. While we will review requests on a case-by-case basis, some limitations may apply, and restriction may not always be possible or practical. Restricting processing may affect the services we can offer, and certain processing activities may continue as we determine necessary at our sole discretion.
Right to Object
You may object to data processing in cases where our legitimate interests apply. Objections will be reviewed individually, and processing may continue if deemed necessary for our business purposes or other justifications.
Right to Withdraw Consent
Where data processing relies on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal may impact the services we are able to provide, and we may retain data where necessary for operational or legal reasons. Requests to withdraw consent will be addressed as circumstances allow.
Right to Erasure (“Right to Be Forgotten”)
You may request that we delete your personal data. We will review requests individually and, where feasible, delete data from our systems and coordinate removal from relevant third parties, with deletion subject to technical and operational limitations. Complete deletion timelines and confirmation may vary.
Right to Lodge a Complaint
If you believe that your data protection rights have not been adequately respected, you may contact your local data protection authority to lodge a complaint. However, we encourage direct communication with us first, as we prioritise constructive resolution whenever possible.
The above rights may be subject to limitations, and response timelines are determined based on internal procedures, data availability, and other relevant factors. We retain the right to prioritise requests or deny them where legally permissible, and not all requests may result in immediate action.
By using our services, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to the above terms related to data privacy, consent, and user rights.
4. Refund and Cancellation Policy
All purchases of DNA testing services and reports are final once the order has been processed, and refunds are generally not available. However, at our sole discretion, we may consider requests for refunds on a case-by-case basis, taking into account specific circumstances that may warrant special consideration.
In cases where we determine that a refund is appropriate, the amount and timing of any refund will be subject to our judgment and may be prorated based on the status of the analysis or services rendered up to that point.
We also reserve the right to cancel any order at our discretion if, for any reason, we are unable to complete the requested services. In the event of such a cancellation, we may, at our sole discretion, provide a full or partial refund depending on the circumstances.
By purchasing our services, you agree to these terms, acknowledging that decisions regarding refunds and cancellations are made at the sole discretion of our company. For any questions or requests related to this policy, please contact us at info@ancestral-legacy.com.
5. Damaged or Lost Kits and Samples
In the event of a damaged, lost, or otherwise unusable kit or sample, we reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to determine the appropriate course of action on a case-by-case basis. We may, at our discretion, provide a replacement kit, request an additional sample, or offer alternative options.
If a kit or sample arrives damaged or unusable due to issues that occur during transit, we may choose to replace the kit or request a new sample submission. Replacement, if offered, will be provided solely at our discretion and may depend on factors such as the nature of the damage, shipping conditions, and availability of replacement kits.
In cases where a kit is reported as lost or undelivered, we will assess the situation on a case-by-case basis. At our discretion, we may provide a replacement or issue a partial or full refund. We reserve the right to verify the status of delivery before determining the appropriate resolution.
We reserve the right to decide, at our sole discretion, whether shipping costs for replacement kits or additional samples will be covered by us or by the client.
Any requests for replacement or assistance with a damaged or lost kit must be made within a reasonable timeframe, as determined by us. Failure to report issues within this timeframe may result in a denial of any replacement, refund, or other action.
All decisions regarding damaged or lost kits or samples are made solely at our discretion, and we reserve the right to modify or refuse any request based on the specific circumstances of each case.
6. Marketing and Communication
By agreeing to these terms, you agree to allow us to contact you at any hour we wish and with any frequency we wish about changes in our service or for marketing related purposes.
7. Modification to the Terms of Service
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to modify, alter, remove portions of or update these Terms of Service or the services we offer at any time, without prior notice. Such modifications may include, but are not limited to, changes in pricing, service offerings, delivery times, report features, data handling policies, and any other aspects of our business. These adjustments will be implemented on a case-by-case basis, depending on our evolving business needs, legal requirements, or other factors.
We may, at our discretion, notify you of significant changes through email, our website, or other channels. However, it is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically to stay informed of any updates. Your continued use of our services following any modifications constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms and your agreement to abide by them.
We also retain the exclusive right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of our services or restrict access to certain features without liability or obligation. Any decisions made regarding such changes will be determined solely at our discretion, taking into account our business needs and operational considerations.