Community Chat

[LoriLori]

They have refused to cooperate in any way with law enforcement saying their clients have an expectation of privacy when they submit DNA.

The Golden State Killer's DNA was finally matched when a relative uploaded her results to a voluntary web site where people upload their results, I think to see if they have any family they don't know about?

That's where the cops found the match.

I would have no problem giving permission to those companies to run my DNA through CODIS, the national DNA felon database.  I would actually feel like I'md doing some good by granting that permission.

Would you mind?  Do you think they should cooperate with LE?

[faeriemoon]

I think that information should be kept private.

I would be interested in hearing both sides of the argument though.  I might change my mind, but on first thought, I think most would have the expectation that their DNA information be kept private.

[Group 5 minus 1]

What about finger prints?

[NicksmomESQ]

  I’m conflicted on this one.On the one hand if a crime can be solved & a dangerous criminal stopped it’s the right thing to do.On the other hand a person has a right to privacy.Their permission should be sought if their DNA is going to be used for an unintended purpose.

  Let’s also remember that once you put anything on the internet you lose control of it,period.We all know this so an argument could be made that when you post something you’re giving informed consent for others to view it. The bottom line is if you want your information to be kept private keep it off the internet!!

[Lilysmom]

@LoriLori, I suspect there will be a huge debate over this and possibly a battle in court.  It could seriously undermine the businesses who do the analysis if people thought their results could be used for purposes other than which they submitted samples for.  Privacy issue certainly.  LM

[LoriLori]

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@Lilysmom wrote:

@LoriLori, I suspect there will be a huge debate over this and possibly a battle in court.  It could seriously undermine the businesses who do the analysis if people thought their results could be used for purposes other than which they submitted samples for.  Privacy issue certainly.  LM

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@Lilysmom, no court battle.  They have said no and they have that right.  And I can't imagine them adding a line to sign for permission, because that's an invitation for them to mess it up and give the wrong people's DNA over and then come the lawsuits.

[151949]

When I got my DNA kit I had to go to Ancestry's website to activate it. One of the questions was if I wanted my results shared or kept private. If you say private - only you get the results.If you say shared they are public.So it is all in your own hands what happens to your results. Also they asked if they could use the DNA for other purposes like research. Your choice.

[CrazyDaisy]

Criminals could sent DNA samples in under different names.  There is no chain of command for evidence so nothing can be used in court  Big fishing expidition that in the end will put these companies out of business because no one will be able to trust the results they get.

[LoriLori]

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@Group 5 minus 1 wrote:

What about finger prints?

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@Group 5 minus 1in the context of The Golden State Killer he committed at least

120 burglaries

60 rapes (and not one time, he stayed hours and did horrible things to the women for hours and immobilized their boyfriends and husbands and in one case a mother)

at least 12 killings after someone caught a glimpse of him

Through all that he left not a single fingerprint.  And he stopped offending when DNA testing came into being.  

Also I don't know how that would work anyway, fingerprints.com seems unmanageable and unappealing.

[LoriLori]

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@151949 wrote:

When I got my DNA kit I had to go to Ancestry's website to activate it. One of the questions was if I wanted my results shared or kept private. If you say private - only you get the results.If you say shared they are public.So it is all in your own hands what happens to your results. Also they asked if they could use the DNA for other purposes like research. Your choice.

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Interesting!  Did it specify under "shared" whether that's with only with other Ancestry users or whether they could hand it over to the FBI for CODIS?