DNA and Online Search Finds Birth Parent

stuyman writes "NewScientist is reporting that anonymous sperm donation is not so anonymous anymore. An enterprising 15 year old tracked down his biological father, an anonymous sperm donor, using an online genealogy service and an online information service."

Comments

He didn't need DNA to narrow the search down

[old7]

Though his donor had been anonymous, his mother had been told the man's date and place of birth and his college degree. Using another online service, Omnitrace.com, he purchased the names of everyone that had been born in the same place on the same day. Only one man had the surname he was looking for, and within 10 days he had made contact.

Knowing the place and date of birth of the father would narrow the search considerably. Even in a large city it could narrow the search to a few dozen. -Old7

Re:He didn't need DNA to narrow the search down

[Buran]

Not necessarily. I'm adopted and I haven't had much luck using my birth parents' names. I'm now going to have to ponder whether I want to do somemthing like this, or whether I should. I don't know yet because I have no idea whether they would want to be contacted. (They were high-school students, though, so they may wonder what happened to the baby they gave up because they couldn't raise her... so I have a chance that they'd be interested).

At long last....

[Altec at LM]

..an answer to the proverbial question, "Who's your daddy?"

I wonder

[masterpenguin]

I wonder now that Anonymous Sperm Donors can be tracked down, if Anonymous Cowards can also be tracked down?

Re:People deserve all they get

[Mornelithe]

Uh...

What exactly is wrong with donating to a sperm bank? It allows people to have kids that might otherwise not be able to.

And what exactly is wrong with using the money for beer? Beer is good.

And how exactly could the child become emotionally scarred? By finding out at least one of his genetic parents is not part of his family? Why exactly does that matter? He has (presumably) two parents who love him and wanted him enough to go to extraordinary measures to have him. Isn't that good enough?

And if he didn't know that he was a sperm bank baby, and it does scar him, isn't it the fault of his parents that actually take care of him, for not telling him before he found it out on the internet?

Could you please expound on what, exactly, is wrong with this situation in your view? I can't figure it out beyond the possibility that you want to whine about 'them damn college students!'

Re:A potentially ugly situation

[Anonymous Coward]

You know what would be creepier? Having the following conversation with the doctor from the fertility clinic and then noticing that he has the same nose as you...

Boy: Doctor, you told my mother that my father was an Astrophysics major at MIT and was born on July 16, 1968. But I tracked down the only man who fits that description and he's oriental which, as you can see, I am not.

Doctor: Uh, er, yes, I see... That is a problem, isn't it? There must have been some sort of mixup. Uh, what was your name again?

Boy: Luke.

Doctor: Well I suppose I have something I should tell you. And actually you might find this rather funny if you are a Star Wars fan. You see Luke...

Oh shit, restrictions on being born!

[mysticwhiskey]

I took the submission title to be "DNA and Online Search Finds Birth Patent".

A case of too much Slashdot reading, methinks.