PURPOSE Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic ancestry companies have rapidly increased in popularity, with top testing services maintaining genetic databases of several million consumers. While genetic ancestry tests are often characterized as recreational, companies invoke deeply personal concepts of individual identity, group membership, and kinship when marketing their services. In particular, many companies claim to be able to determine Native American heritage, claims that are not supported by the state of the science and may have significant cultural and political consequences for US tribal communities. This study aims to fill the gaps in empirical work on this issue and characterize how genetic ancestry companies articulate indigenous identity through their marketing strategies. METHODS We conducted a qualitative content analysis of the public facing websites for 25 DTC genetic ancestry companies that offer services measuring Native American ancestry. RESULTS Our findings describe how genetic ancestry companies promote a causal relationship between genetics and self-identity through marketing language such as "Discover Yourself" and "Are you Native American?" and how this may affect US tribal communities. CONCLUSION Genetic ancestry company claims regarding genetic ancestry, personal identity, and cultural membership are problematic and challenge how US tribal nations currently identify and create potential obstacles for tribal sovereignty.

中文翻译：

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构建身份：DTC 血统测试对部落社区的影响。

目的 直接面向消费者 (DTC) 的基因血统公司迅速普及，顶级检测服务机构维护着数百万消费者的基因数据库。虽然基因血统测试通常被认为是娱乐性的，但公司在营销其服务时会援引个人身份、群体成员身份和亲属关系等深刻的个人概念。特别是，许多公司声称能够确定美洲原住民的遗产，但这些说法并没有得到科学现状的支持，并且可能对美国部落社区产生重大的文化和政治后果。本研究旨在填补这一问题的实证工作的空白，并描述遗传血统公司如何通过其营销策略阐明土著身份。方法 我们对 25 家提供美洲原住民血统测量服务的 DTC 遗传血统公司的面向公众的网站进行了定性内容分析。结果我们的研究结果描述了基因血统公司如何通过“发现你自己”和“你是美国原住民吗？”等营销语言来促进基因与自我认同之间的因果关系。以及这可能如何影响美国部落社区。结论 遗传血统公司关于遗传血统、个人身份和文化成员资格的主张存在问题，并对美国部落国家目前如何识别和制造部落主权的潜在障碍提出了挑战。