MyHeritage controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2022
MyHeritage fined over Russian data-localization violation
Fine or penalty
The Tagansky District Magistrates' Court of Moscow fined MyHeritage 1.5 million rubles for failing to localize the database of its Russian users, according to a court representative.
Source excerpt
The Magistrates' Court of the Tagansky District of Moscow fined MyHeritage 1.5 mln rubles ($19,633) due to the service refusal to localize data base of its Russian users on the territory of the Russian Federation
2019
MyHeritage database used in the Westrom investigation
Investigators in Minnesota reportedly uploaded an unidentified DNA profile under a pseudonym and used resulting matches to identify Jerry Arnold Westrom in the reopened Jeanne Childs murder investigation. A court rejected a motion to suppress evidence based on alleged violation of the service agreement, distinguishing that contractual issue from constitutional protections.
2018
2017 account-data breach disclosed in 2018
MyHeritage disclosed that an unauthorized party had obtained email addresses and hashed passwords for more than 92 million accounts. The company said family trees, DNA information, and payment-card data were held separately and were not exposed in the incident. Breach data was reportedly offered on the dark web in 2019. MyHeritage responded with notification, password-related measures, and two-factor authentication.
2018
Use of the database in investigative genetic genealogy
Reports concerning the Golden State Killer investigation stated that investigators used a MyHeritage account to upload a suspect DNA file after other genealogy databases had not produced sufficient leads. MyHeritage said its terms prohibit law-enforcement use and fictitious profiles, and subsequently made that restriction explicit in its privacy policy.