My Heritage, a rant

 Back in 2018 I joined the MyHeritage family tree website and did my DNA with them. It's a good site and I have found very useful information and made good DNA connections. There was a problem, when I accepted a tree and ended up with people I didn't know and wasn't connected to. This resulted in me having to remove individuals, one by one and I now no longer accept people's trees.

The ability to colour photos is useful as is the ability to group DNA matches and both have been used, with interesting results.

Yesterday, (12/08) I had a big new DNA match and got excited, as you do. 739.6cM and a name I knew BUT and here is the problem. MyHeritage has listed her as my 1st cousin but she is my half-niece. I know this for a fact, I watched her grow up. She isn't a cousin.

I contacted MyHeritage asking if I could change the relationship as it was wrong and below is their reply.

I understand that the probable relationship that is shown for one of your DNA-matches is not correct.

I am assuming you are talking about ??????, as she is shown as 1st cousin.

I would like to point out that what we show is the most probable relationship, but we are not saying that this for a fact is the relationship between you two.

If you click on '1st cousin' you will see all the other probable relationships you could have with her and you can see that half niece comes second (see photo below).

Based on the results, 1st cousin has the highest probability which is why this is the one shown under her name. I understand that you know her and she is your half niece, so you can disregard the probable relationship that is shown.

As this is an automatic calculation, it can not be changed. I apologize for the inconvenience.

This was my response,

Thank you for this BUT I find it so very wrong that we can't change relationships. In doing genealogy we are told NOT to make assumptions, by not being able to change a relationship, MY HERITAGE has made an incorrect assumption and this is so very wrong.

Just for your clarification, I'm not yet 70, my father was in his 60's when I was born and my mother was 43. Not every family is the 'perfect algorithm' that MyHeritage thinks they should be.

Bye,

Lilian.

This is what is on the page, under possible relationships.

The relationships and probabilities were calculated based on the amount of DNA you share, and both of your ages

I am very curious to know if anyone else has had this problem. 

 It seems to me that MyHeritage is good with the 'fancy' bits but not good at allowing their members to change relationships.