There's been a lot of DNA bashing of late and on the surface, this looks like one more example, but this is actually a more balanced article than the title would suggest. I'm also pleased that I'm quoted accurately because that doesn't always happen, and if you've got a minute or two, you can check out an accompanying video that includes snippets of an interview I did in NY about a month ago:
Ancestral DNA testing is not exact science
As seen in this article and video, the main point that most of the naysayers make is that most genetic genealogy tests only reveal information about a single branch of one's family tree and, of course, we all have tons of ancestors. That's true.
My beef with this line of criticism is that it isn't news. We all know this. But the journalists who are, for the most part, being exposed to genetic genealogy for the first time usually have nanoseconds to get smart on the topic and then write about it, so they often don't know that this isn't a revelation. And of course, it makes a tempting angle to play up. So I don't have much of a problem with this aside from the fact that it makes it appear that genetic genealogy is being oversold, which -- with a few notable exceptions -- truly isn't the case.
What I have more of a problem with is when people who are very familiar with genetic genealogy play up this same angle. If you've been in the gg playground for a while, you've lost the right to start with an assumption of collective ignorance on the part of the customer -- because you know that your fellow genetic genealogists are well aware of what DNA testing can and can't do. I'm not going to name names. I'll just ask anyone who recognizes themselves in what I've just said to please think twice. Please don't sell out genetic genealogy to try to sell yourself. The topic is fascinating on its own merits, so there's no need to resort to faux controversy to attract attention.