By joining the Phelps Y-DNA Project the participant agrees to the following.

FTDNA legal issues and privacy statement at this FDTNA link  (added here 11/2009)

DISCLAIMER, CONDITIONS AND AGREEMENT  November 5, 2009:

The designated administrators of the Phelps Y-DNA Project are authorized  by FamilyTreeDNA (FTDNA). and  have no commercial or contractual affiliation with any profit making organization and receive no financial support.  Although FTDNA provides discounts for all surname project members, that by no means suggests a business partnership or other financial relationship between the Project and FTDNA. All funds are payable only and directly to FTDNA. The administrators have no responsibility for the care, handling or return to participant of the y-dna samples, nor duty to act on behalf of Participant in mediation of any dispute between the Participant and FTDNA.

This web based project is an optional extension of the FTDNA basic web pages and is created and maintained by the administrators.   All Y-DNA and contact information of the FTDNA tested participants are made available to the administrators for analysis.   Participants may withdraw their Phelps project membership at any time, but retain all the advantages as a tested FTDNA customer.  Under unusual conditions, as determined solely by the administrators, participants may be dropped from the Phelps project.  The administrators, and optional line coordinators, work with the related members to determine what ancestry information is to be posted.  A private forum may be provided for lineage discussion and the participant will be included unless a request is made to be omitted.   The administrators may provide public, non-professional opinions of how the Y-DNA of the participant supports the lineages using publicly viewable data tables as a guide.    

The administrators and web master reserve the right at any time to end their participation in the Phelps Y-DNA Project .  The administrator-owner of the of the web pages reserves the right to remove the web pages and to determine if and to whom they will be given.

This agreement applies further to any other person whose email address is stated on the participant’s logon record at FTDNA.  It is the participant’s responsibility to maintain his record including all contact information.  

RELEASE OF LIABILITY / LIABILITY WAIVER January 30, 2009, Revised 11/15/2009

This RELEASE AND WAIVER is given to the administrators and line coordinators to feel free to donate their services and time in organizing this project without fear of liability. 

I understand the project was established by the administrators to test genetically the Y-DNA of participants and to compare the results and the lineages with others who have been tested with similar surnames.  I also understand the possibility that a participant's Y-DNA may not match as expected where adoption, false paternity, or other reasons happened in the participant's immediate family or backward in time in the ancestral line.

In consideration of this right to participate in the PHELPS Y-DNA Project and with full knowledge of these possibilities as outlined above, and intending to be legally bound, I hereby agree for myself and on behalf of all of my family and heirs to RELEASE the administrators from any and all liability, claims, demands or any causes of action, and not sue or otherwise make any claim against the administrators whatsoever which may arise during my participation in the PHELPS Y-DNA Project. I assume full responsibility for any risk occurring from my participation.

I understand that the administrators will make reasonable efforts to protect the identity of the participant on the web pages. My kit number will be displayed..    I understand that if I am a member of the optional private forums, my identity may become known there. I give the administrators the right to see, analyze and copy my results.

I also agree to INDEMNIFY AND RELEASE the administrators and the line coordinators from all claims, judgments, expenses and costs, including but not limited to attorney's fees, incurred in connection with any claims brought as a result of my participation in the PHELPS Y-DNA Project and which are released by the terms of this agreement.

This release of liability is given in exchange for joining the PHELPS Y-DNA Project. This RELEASE AND WAIVER has no expiration date and may be changed by the administrators by a broadcast option provided by FTDNA.