From an article by Emily Bloch published in The Philadelphia Inquirer:

23andMe is facing scrutiny, with some experts calling it the beginning of the end for the popular genetic testing company. It’s been a rocky year for the saliva-based DNA testing brand, including a high-profile data breach and resignations from the company’s board last month.

Users are wondering what’s next — and if their personal data (including their literal DNA) are safe.

Here’s what we know.

What happened with the 23andMe data breach?

In October 2023, 23andMe launched an investigation after a “threat actor” claimed to have obtainedmillions of users’ personal data.

By December, the company confirmed through a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that a hacker directly accessed 0.1% of its users’ accounts, or about 14,000 profiles. Still, because of the networks individual users can build, connecting their information to other possible relatives, the hacker was able to view the information of millions of users.

A spokesperson for the company told news outlets at the time that 6.9 million people had been affected: about 5.5 million customers who had opted into 23andMe’s “DNA Relatives” feature and 1.4 million users whose family tree information was accessed.

Information accessed included:

1. Display name, profile picture, and birth year.

2. How recently they had logged into their account.

3. Their relationship status.

4. Their self-reported location by city and zip code.

5. Predicted relationships with others.

6. DNA percentages users share with their “DNA Relatives.”

The company added that an additional 1.4 million customers who used the “DNA Relatives” feature had their “Family Tree” profiles accessed, which includes a limited subset of profile data.

23andMe said at the time that the hacker activity was contained and required existing users to reset their passwords and enable multifactor authentication for logging in.

The issue resulted in a class-action lawsuit that was filed in January and settled this month.

Who is eligible for 23andMe settlement money?

As part of the settlement, 23andMe admitted to no wrongdoing and agreed to pay $30 million to affected parties, including up to $10,000 to people who experienced significant losses, like identity theft, as a result of the breach.

The settlement will affect the millions of users whose data were targeted in the leak. In order to qualify, an affected 23andMe user must have been a U.S. resident on Aug. 11, 2023.

As of publication time, there’s no way to submit a claim to be a part of the settlement. Affected users will need to visit the 23andMe settlement website and enter their information when it becomes available, according to Forbes. The site will offer an online claim form and a downloadable PDF version if you prefer to submit by mail.

Why did the entire board resign?

The entire 23andMe board of independent directors resigned last month, a rare move in the business world that experts say foreshadows an unstable situation.

The seven directors said in a letter addressed to 23andMe cofounder and CEO Anne Wojcicki that they had not received a plan regarding the company’s future that inspired confidence.

Wojcicki previously expressed a desire to take 23andMe private, which sparked concern among the board members.

“While we continue to wholeheartedly support the Company’s mission and believe deeply in the value of the personalized health and wellness offering that you have articulated, it is also clear that we differ on the strategic direction for the Company going forward,” the letter said. “Because of that difference and because of your concentrated voting power, we believe that it is in the best interests of the Company’s shareholders that we resign from the Board rather than have a protracted and distracting difference of view with you as to the direction of the Company.”

Wojcicki responded to the resignations through an employee memo in which she expressed her “surprise” and disappointment in the directors’ decision. She added that she still believed taking 23andMe private was the best option, but clarified that she isn’t considering third-party takeover proposals.

Wojcicki said she would identify new directors to join the board. She remains the only board member listed on the company’s website.

Is 23andMe safe to use now?

Experts say 23andMe users’ data are no more at risk today than it has ever been, but added that customers should review the company’s privacy policies and think about which data are available and where they want them shared.

Customers can consent to 23andMe sharing their anonymized genetic information with third-party companies for various reasons, including medical research. Experts told CBS that this type of data sharing can come with vulnerabilities, but that they are not unique to 23andMe.

About 80% of 23andMe customers consent to participate in the company’s research program, which has generated nearly 300 peer-reviewed publications regarding genetic insights into disease, the company said.

Still, users became more concerned when Eva Galperin, the director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, raised flags about the company in a social media post.

“If you have a 23andme account, today is a good day to log in and request the deletion of your data,” she wrote on X.

How can I delete my data from 23andMe?

To delete an account, users can log in and go to the Account Settings tab. Users will go through the prompts and identity verification before getting an email asking for confirmation to delete the account. Deleting an account is irreversible.

However, deleting an account doesn’t necessarily delete all of a user’s personal information associated with it. The company plans to hang on to some genetic information and personal details including sex, birthday, email address, and details about the account’s deletion request, MIT Technology Review reported.

For users who opted into sharing anonymized genetic data with third parties, there is no way to delete the information or retract what has already been shared.

Are there alternatives to 23andMe?

All online DNA testing services come with some privacy concerns, but legal guidelines to regulate personal data serve as a safeguard. For some users looking for answers to health mysteries or to find missing links to their family trees, the trade-off is worth it.

Because of 23andMe’s uncertain future, review sites like the New York Times’ Wirecutter have stopped recommending the service in its DNA testing roundups.

The review site recommends AncestryDNA and FamilyTreeDNA as alternatives.

Surry Community College will host a hands-on Genealogy Workshop for Beginners on Friday, Nov. 8, from 10 a.m. to noon. This event will be held in the Carlos Surratt Genealogy room on the second floor of the SCC Library in Dobson. The workshop is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required.

Designed for those who are new to genealogical research, the workshop will provide a basic overview of the many resources available through Surry Community College, as well as those available in the community and online. Participants will also learn how to use these resources and how to determine the best way to research their own family history.

Due to the hands-on nature of the workshop, space is limited to 10 participants. For more information or to register, please contact Sebrina Mabe, Library and Archives Services Assistant, at (336) 386-3459 or mabesc@surry.edu.

Have you noticed the recent erratic publication of new articles on this web site? Here is the reason why!

In the past month, I have encountered:

I purchased a new home in Maine

I made plans to move to Maine

I packed up all my belongings in preparation for the move

I scheduled a moving company to visit my Florida home on October 9, load a truck with all my belongings, and take everything to Maine.

The strongest hurricane in the past decade struck Florida (including my home) on October 9 with winds of up to 140 mph. The driver of the moving truck postponed the visit to load my possessions due to dangerous conditions on the highways.

The driver of the moving truck finally arrived at my Florida home on October 13 and loaded all my possessions onto the truck but did not leave for Maine due to highway flooding along the route.

On approximately October 16 the driver left Florida for Maine.

On October 20, the driver and the truck arrived at my new home in Maine and unloaded. 

I have since spent many hours unpacking, arranging furniture, made multiple trips to the grocery store to purchase food, and performed many related tasks...

 - Dick Eastman

George Aghjayan will be offering an online program titled “Researching Your Armenian Roots,” sponsored by the Memorial Hall Library in Andover, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Register online for the presentation.

The common misconception that all records related to Armenian heritage have been completely erased has been disproved with the help of social media, DNA testing and crowd-sourced translation projects. Many new Armenian documents are now coming to light. Aghjayan will review how available records can help the Armenian community reclaim its identity and find agency in the face of the crimes that have displaced and separated families over the last 125 years.

Aghjayan has actively researched Armenian genealogy for several decades. He is the director of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Archives and certificate holder from the Boston University Genealogical Studies Program. After a career in both insurance and finance, Aghjayan retired in 2014 to concentrate on Armenian-related research and projects, including family history work. He is a frequent contributor to the Armenian Weekly and Houshamadyan.org, and the creator and curator of westernarmenia.weebly.com, a website dedicated to the preservation of Armenian culture in Western Armenia.

“I’m the local history librarian in Andover, Massachusetts. We have lots of genealogy programs, but never one about Armenians. Lawrence/Merrimack Valley has a sizable Armenian population — so I read about George and called him up,” Stephanie Aude, the Reference and Local History Librarian at Memorial Hall Library, told the Weekly when asked about the development of this event.

“Genealogy continues to be important for Armenians in their tenacity in maintaining their identity,” Aghjayan said. “I feel fortunate to share my experiences with others and thank the Memorial Hall Library in Andover for hosting this event.”

This virtual program will be recorded. A link to the recording will be shared with everyone who registers

After being off line for a week, I'm back online.

I was off line for a combination of two things: Hurricane Milton caused widespread damage near my home in Florida. Dozens of homes were destroyed, reports of wind speed varied up to 135 mph, more than 16 people were killed, and reports said it was the strongest hurricane in more than a decade. Luckily, my house totally escaped damage. I believe the winds at my house peaked at more than 85 mph. I lost both power and Internet connectivity for several days.

Next, I had previously planned to move from Florida to Maine during this time. Of all days, I planned to move on October 9 which turned out to be the same day the hurricane peaked at my home. Needless to say, I didn't move as it was impossible to stand up outdoors that day because of the high winds.

I eventually left my previous home and took a round-about route to Maine: a route that in the past required 2 days this time required 4 days.

Tonight I am in my new home in Maine but using a temporary lash-up to connect online: a laptop computer, a lashed-up Internet connection, and more things that I am surprised even work. My household goods are on a truck "someplace" with most of my personal possessions packed in boxes.

Don't be surprised if things don't function quite as well as usual.

A phone call from the driver of the moving truck indicates that the truck and driver are stuck in flood waters and do not expect to be here for several more days.

I don't even have a change of clothes.

Please do not be surprised if there are some "abnormalities" in this newsletter over the next few days.

 

Are you in Florida and affected by Hurricanes Debby, Helene and/or Milton? We are committed to helping survivors navigate the disaster assistance process and get the support they need. Below is detailed information on how to apply for FEMA assistance, including eligibility by different counties, the application process, and what to do if you were not approved for assistance. Please read carefully to understand how you can access vital assistance and support. 

Am I in a county eligible for support for more than one hurricane? 

You can find a list of eligible disasters for your county by using the DisasterAssistance.gov location search. Submit your zip code for a list of disasters declared for your county. Starting your application online is the fastest way to start your recovery process. 

If I applied for individual assistance for one hurricane, do I need to reapply?

If you are in a county eligible for disaster assistance from multiple hurricanes, you need to submit applications for each disaster (i.e., one application for Helene and a separate application for Milton). If this situation applies to you, please see the next question.

I am in a county with more than one open hurricane declaration. How do I apply for each disaster? 

If you experienced damage from multiple hurricanes, you must complete a separate application for each event. 

• When you apply for Debby disaster assistance, please note the date and damage you received from Debby. Hurricane Debby has an incident period of August 1 – 27, 2024.
• When you apply for Helene assistance, please note the date and damage you received from Helene. Hurricane Helene has an incident period of September 23, 2024, and continuing.
• When you apply for Milton disaster assistance, please note the date and damage you received from Milton. Hurricane Milton has an incident period of October 5, 2024, and continuing.

If I apply for disaster assistance for more than one storm, what support may I be eligible to receive?

Eligible households affected by multiple hurricanes may receive assistance for each disaster, including an upfront Serious Needs Assistance payment to support basic needs like food, water and medicine for both incidents. 

FEMA will not pay for the same loss twice but can help with new damage caused by the next disaster. When you apply, do your best to identify damage done by disaster (e.g., list Helene damage in the Helene applications. Do your best to list separate damage done by Milton in the Milton application.) 

I received a denial to my application. What are my options for getting the support I need?

If you received a letter from FEMA that says you have not been approved for assistance, that may not be the final decision. A quick fix, like providing more information, may change FEMA’s decision.  

Be sure to read your FEMA determination letter carefully. The letter specifies why you have not been approved and recommends actions that may change the decision. 

If you are in a county eligible for assistance for both hurricanes Helene and Milton, and were not approved for Helene assistance, you may still apply for Milton assistance.

Learn more about Common Reasons FEMA May Find You Ineligible for Assistance -- and How to Address Them.

Why are people in Florida affected by Hurricane Milton eligible for more FEMA money than those affected just by Hurricane Debby and Helene? 

FEMA adjusts the maximum amount of financial assistance available to disaster survivors each fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, 2024. Each year, FEMA assistance maximums are adjusted using the annual Consumer Price Index to keep pace with cost-of-living increases—similar to how Social Security payments are adjusted at the beginning of each federal calendar year.

The first change you might notice is in the initial Serious Needs Assistance award amount, which provides help with basic needs like food, water and medicine. For Helene, which was declared on Sept. 28, 2024, the payment is $750. For Milton, which was declared on Oct. 11, 2024, the payment is $770.

How do I get my questions answered about the disaster application process?

We know these are challenging times, and we are committed to ensuring survivors receive every dollar and type of assistance they are eligible for. Applying for assistance is the critical first step toward recovery. 

If you need help, we encourage you to apply for FEMA assistance through DisasterAssistance.gov. You may also visit a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center to meet face-to-face with FEMA representatives, apply for FEMA assistance, receive referrals to local assistance in their area, apply with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans and much more.

Find a Disaster Recovery Center on our website or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362. You may also apply for assistance and find locations for Disaster Recovery Centers on the FEMA mobile app, or get help by calling 1-800-621-3362.

Earlier this week, news broke of a major hack on the Internet Archive, which leaked 31 million users' account info and temporarily took the service offline. The breach date later given seems to be September 28. Yesterday evening, October 13, an operator of the Internet Archive confirmed that the service was back online, albeit in a more limited read-only form.

The greater security breach also served as a climax to sustained cyber-attacks that have been ongoing since May of this year. Many speculate that these are the work of greedy publishers or other shady interests since no one else would be incentivized to attack the Internet Archive and its Wayback Machine, which is essentially a digital library in function.

As of writing, Archive.org and its Wayback Machine are still functional as described in the original Tweet, which means they are in read-only mode and (unfortunately) do not offer a direct option for saving pages. They are also a bit slower than usual, which could be attributed to recovering servers, extra DDOS prevention measures, or perhaps both.

Unfortunately, there is no apparent motive for these attacks on Archive.org. The closest we have to a direct message from the attackers is simply a comment saying, "Have you ever felt like the Internet Archive runs on sticks and is constantly on the verge of suffering a catastrophic security breach? It just happened. See 31 million of you on HIBP!" HIBP, or Have I Been Pwned, is a public database of security breaches for the uninitiated.

It was seemingly done for no other reason than pure, cruel kicks or a significant under-the-table payment from a party or parties who would have a financial incentive to bring down The Internet Archive however they can, inside or outside of court.

In any case, we can only hope that Archive.org continues to bounce back from these attacks and that the community at large does what it can to pitch in and help Internet Archive fight back against attackers in both the legal and cybersecurity spheres. Unfortunately, the very existence of this much free information and historical data is not only at stake but actively despised by several parties who wish to poison or destroy the public's spring of knowledge by any means necessary.

The Bell Route of the Trail of Tears passed through what is now the greater campus of Sewanee—The University of the South. This digital archive is a project developed in Sewanee classrooms to better understand our local history of Cherokee Removal. This collaboration between faculty, students, and the community supports Sewanee’s Indigenous Engagement Initiative.

The Bell Route, one of several routes used during Cherokee Removal, was traveled by a group of about 650 Cherokee people from October 1838 to January 1839. This route takes its name from John Adair Bell, the conductor and organizer of the detachment, and signer of the infamous Treaty of New Echota (1835). Because of Bell’s political stance, the group was referred to as the detachment of the “Treaty Party (so called).” On the route, at least twenty-three people died—two of them infants—and survivors faced an uncertain future and continued conflict in the West. This database includes sources about the Bell Route for research and reference. The Origins section illustrates the background of Bell Detachment members in the Cherokee homeland. Route explores the logistics of their forced emigration. Aftermathinvestigates the lives of Bell Detachment survivors in the Cherokee Nation west. Our Search feature invites you to look for names and keywords across these record groups.

"Retracing the Bell Route" is sponsored by the Smith Experiential Learning Fund, Indigenous Engagement Initiative, and University Research Grants. Special thanks go to the Tennessee Trail of Tears Association and National Trail of Tears Association. 

Our logo includes the syllabary characters ᎤᎭᎸᏂ (u-ha-lv-ni), the Cherokee word for "Bell." The background is inspired by sunsets in Sewanee as a reminder of the Bell Detachment's journey to the west.

It was the mid-1980s, Chuck Vesei developed a fascination with shortwave radio. He used his portable radio to tune into shortwave broadcasts from around the globe. Because shortwave signals can travel farther than regular AM or FM broadcasts, Chuck heard voices and music from across continents.

Listening to the far-flung signals, foreign languages, and different types of music let Chuck discover the world far beyond his hometown. Those international radio stations broadcast news, religious programming, government propaganda, cultural programs, and educational content.

QSL card from Radio Kuwait

Tuning in was just one aspect of his hobby: he also sent postal mail to the remote radio stations that he heard. Those stations sent replies. He received airmail containing broadcasting schedules, newsletters, and handwritten notes from broadcasters. The stations sent trinkets such as QSL cards, stickers, and pennants. Chuck ended up with stacks of mail from radio stations. He saved all of it.

But Chuck wasn’t just any shortwave fan: Chuck Vesei was a high school student in Niles, Michigan. Almost four decades later, he donated the collection to the Internet Archive’s Digital Library of Amateur Radio and Communications. Today, the entire collection is online. The Chuck Vesei Shortwave Radio Artifacts collection has hundreds of items that he received from shortwave broadcasters from 1984 to 1986.

The collection is a rich snapshot of Cold War-era radio, including broadcast schedules and program guides from Radio Baghdad, Radio Kiev, Radio Japan and many others. There’s a Christmas card from Voice of Free China, a card commemorating Radio Havana’s 25th anniversary in 1986, and wall calendars from Radio Beijing. Chuck also received hundreds of QSL cards — postcards confirming reception of a broadcast, each with unique designs and photos depicting the region and culture — and QSL pennants, collectable flags made of cloth or paper.

QSL Pennants

“I developed an intense fascination with short wave radio, DXing, asking for QSLs from international broadcasters, and old radios in general,” Chuck said. “I grew up in a bilingual (Hungarian) household which cultivated a deeper interest in the world at large and especially with nations and cultures behind the Iron Curtain. In the mid-80’s the Cold War was in full swing and this type of thing was extremely fascinating to a teenager like me.”

He started with a Uniden CR-2021 portable radio, and over the months acquired a few more radios, including a Hallicrafters S-40 receiver and a Heathkit GC-1A Mohican receiver that his father built in the 1960s. “My father was an engineer who had a lot of expertise with old radios. I was fascinated by how radio signals could travel so far and under different atmospheric conditions.” His father’s engineering background inspired Chuck’s appreciation of radio’s magic: how signals could travel immense distances, influenced by the atmosphere and time of day.

Today, thanks to Chuck’s foresight in preserving these artifacts, anyone with an internet connection can step back into the 1980s and experience the wonder of shortwave radio as Chuck did—a high schooler in a small town, tuning in to a much larger world.

Experience this remarkable collection firsthand at Chuck Vesei Shortwave Radio Artifacts. It’s just a slice of the material available at Internet Archive’s Digital Library of Amateur Radio and Communications.

I probably will not be posting any new articles in the next few days. The reason is simple: I live in central Florida in the direct path of what is believed to be the strongest hurricane in the past decade.

Hurricane Milton is expected to hit this evening. The National Hurricane Center is warning of up to 15 feet of storm surge in Tampa. The hurricane presently has sustained winds of 145 mph, making it a Category 4 storm, the second highest rating. Earlier, the storm rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane (the highest rating), part of a climate change-fueled trend.

On a personal note, I expect to lose power and internet service. Nobody knows how long the outages will last.

For further details, check any internet news service. All the news services seem to be full of stories about this hurricane.

I had other plans for this week. On Thursday, I had a moving service scheduled to come to my house and move me and all my belongings from Florida to Maine. That plan is now in limbo. Not only am I dealing with the inconveniences of a major hurricane, almost everything I own is packed in boxes right now, including all my computers.