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How does this actually work? I assume your first cousin and half-sisters that came up in the screening also performed the test. Do you automatically agree that

• DanielBMarkham 9y ago
  My first cousin did the test a while ago. When she took the test, she agreed to share her results with anybody that might be interested. After I took the test, I was guided through a series of prompts and opt-ins that asked me about what I was comfortable sharing. At one point, there was a checkbox to allow my information to be used as part of something (I think) called a DNA Family Finder. I checked that, then there was a section of the website to go to. On that page there was 50-60 people who had already taken the test and agreed to be part of the search. Most were crazy, far-removed relatives like 4th cousin twice-removed. But at the top was a possible first cousin. To be honest, even when I saw it I didn't do the math. On her side, she received an email that said she had new matches, then messaged me through the site. "I guess you've hit the jackpot!" she said Of course, by being first cousins, it meant we shared grandparents. It also meant that one of her aunts or uncles was one of my biological parents. We chatted for a bit, my telling her I really didn't want to cause any family pain and her reassuring me that it was a long, long time ago (1960s). As it turned out, one of her aunts was a "black sheep" of the family and had gotten into all sorts of social trouble. The other aunts and uncles weren't in an easy place to have had kids. (Insert detective story here)