For police officers around the country, the genetic profiles that 20 million people have uploaded to consumer DNA sites represent a tantalizing resource that could be used to solve cases both new and cold. But for years, the vast majority of the data have been off limits to investigators. The two largest sites, Ancestry.com and 23andMe, have long pledged to keep their users’ genetic information private, and a smaller one, GEDmatch, severely restricted police access to its records this year.
Last week, however, a Florida detective announced at a police convention that he had obtained a warrant to penetrate GEDmatch and search its full database of nearly one million users. Legal experts said that this appeared to be the first time a judge had approved such a warrant, and that the development could have profound implications for genetic privacy.
“That’s a huge game-changer,” said Erin Murphy, a law professor at New York University. “The company made a decision to keep law enforcement out, and that’s been overridden by a court. It’s a signal that no genetic information can be safe.”
DNA policy experts said the development was likely to encourage other agencies to request similar search warrants from 23andMe, which has 10 million users, and Ancestry.com, which has 15 million. If that comes to pass, the Florida judge’s decision will affect not only the users of these sites but huge swaths of the population, including those who have never taken a DNA test.
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13 comments:
This is wrong and that the judge needs to be disbarred or dethroned, whatever they call it.
I paid $69 for my Ancestry DNA test and I damn well didn't pay for someone to snoop around and use my DNA for criminal cases.
This is wrong on so many levels and no I don't condone criminal behavior. It's not what we signed up for or paid for. I am not a criminal and I didn't volunteer my DNA!
I'm just not that curious that I would sacrifice my privacy to know "where I came from." I can directly trace my family history back to the 1700's, and I know we were here before that. My family has been here since colonial times. I'm white and have no particular desire to know what part of Europe that we immigrated from. I would never voluntarily submit to a DNA test unless it was for medical diagnostic purposes. And THAT"S covered by the HIPPA law. Nobody sees that without my written permission.
November 7, 2019 at 1:49 PM:
Hey, you're not a criminal (so you say) but that doesn't mean someone in your family isn't / wasn't a criminal. That's what they're looking for with your DNA. It is a search on your whole family when law enforcement asks for your DNA from the genealogical providers. Probably many people have criminals in their family history that they don't even know about. A search of a person's DNA for family criminal history should require a search warrant just like any other criminal investigation and evidence gathering. I agree with you about it being private, but its like the internet, once it's in the hands of others, your privacy is toast, whether you paid for it, or not. I didn't do what you did, nor will I ever do it. I don't care where my distant forefathers hailed from. It means nothing to me or my life, or my vanity. Any curiosity just isn't worth it. Let the cops find their criminals the old fashioned way, not by violating law abiding citizens right to privacy, for them AND their family.
If you give your DNA in an identifiable way, you'd better assume it will be shared, because it will be.
Get your ancestry hits and them delete it from their database. NEVER share it online in a way that links to you. Never.
It's step 1 in "Project Reparations". $5000 for every slave that your ancestors owned.
Anybody in their right mind could see this coming when they came out with the test. I will never get one. I wonder if anything was ever signed stating that the DNA would remain private. If so sue until we bank rupt them
If you need to send out your DNA to find out who you are. Where you came from. YOU ARE AN IDIOT.
I could care less about ancestors. they didnt leave me anything. whats the big deal. sure as hell dont want to be related to any Democrat.
November 7, 2019 at 3:46 PM:
So someone adopted in a sealed adoption is an idiot for wanting to know who they came from? I think you're a little harsh with your words. Or ignorant.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
November 7, 2019 at 3:46 PM:
So someone adopted in a sealed adoption is an idiot for wanting to know who they came from? I think you're a little harsh with your words. Or ignorant.
November 7, 2019 at 4:44 PM
I thought you were being a little harsh until I read the idiots comment. Now I agree with you, he is ignorant.
Time to fire the judge.
4:00
How much do you care now?
You said you could care less.
Less than how much?
Maybe you meant to say: I could not care less. That would mean you care nothing at all. It would be impossible for you to care less than you care presently.
Get it?
Giving your DNA is like giving your SS# out. Not very bright.
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