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I watched Smerconish do a segment on this story this morning and mischaracterized the role of Gedmatch and Y search(so infuriating) in addition he said he thought there might be a hippa violation. It is infuriating how these TV reporters are totaling botching up this story and calling for more government oversight into companies like Gedmatch. I suspect more reports will follow suit that peddle fear among the public. The public in general is too ignorant on this topic to know any better and these networks are counting on the publics big brother paranoia to sell these crap stories.
The use of VPN alone is not enough to protect privacy. There are still unknowns about VPN companies -- whether they are telling the truth about their privacy policies, whether they are compromised, etc.
I'm not sure about the rest of you but I currently don't have any privacy concerns regarding Gedmatch and I've uploaded my raw autosomal DNA file. It seems to me that most of the people with these concerns don't utilize Gedmatch. My way of thinking if some distant relative of mine is identified in a crime in the same manner the Golden State Killer was nabbed too bad I have no sympathy for them.
I'm not sure about the rest of you but I currently don't have any privacy concerns regarding Gedmatch and I've uploaded my raw autosomal DNA file. It seems to me that most of the people with these concerns don't utilize Gedmatch. My way of thinking if some distant relative of mine is identified in a crime in the same manner the Golden State Killer was nabbed too bad I have no sympathy for them.
That's my philosophy, too. No sympathy.
If I had a relative that was doing what DeAngelo did I would be happy my DNA helped catch him.
If it wasn't common before, it will be now. I am very concerned about privacy issues here.
Indeed, it is always easy to take the worst of the worst killers and justify methods to remove them from society.
I also am happy this alleged monster is off the streets.
However the manner in which it was done is very disturbing, and could lead to many abuses, both recognized today, and unforeseen abuses into the future.
For those of you who have not seen the movie Gattica, I suggest you watch it, with a bleak look into the future and how our genetics/DNA can be used against us by the powerful.
You may not like what it envisions, and is likely to happen based on not only this case, but far too many people willing to give up their privacy for some temporary safety.
Indeed, it is always easy to take the worst of the worst killers and justify methods to remove them from society.
I also am happy this alleged monster is off the streets.
However the manner in which it was done is very disturbing, and could lead to many abuses, both recognized today, and unforeseen abuses into the future.
For those of you who have not seen the movie Gattica, I suggest you watch it, with a bleak look into the future and how our genetics/DNA can be used against us by the powerful.
You may not like what it envisions, and is likely to happen based on not only this case, but far too many people willing to give up their privacy for some temporary safety.
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Gattaca is a very different concept though because it's based on the idea of genetically manufacturing humans. Children are created to be genetically perfect, thus discrimination is based on anyone not genetically manufactured to be perfect. That really has nothing to do with this. I am not saying that could never happen, but I do think we are a long way away from being capable of that, and even if/when we do reach that point, it does not mean it will inevitably happen. I do not feel that we should cease researching genetics and taking DNA tests for fear of what the future could hold - imagine if every field of science took that approach, we'd still be living in the Middle Ages.
I do not feel that my privacy has been "given up" by taking a DNA test, nor have I participated in testing for "safety" anyway. No one else has access to my raw data (not in combination with my name anyway), and furthermore, most consumer DNA tests only contain a small portion of the full genome anyway. Full genome testing is available but it's something like $400-600 and doesn't provide genealogical related results (it's only really useful for research and in specific medical cases when the cheaper consumer tests don't include data needed on a certain gene to help diagnose or treat a patient).
It's interesting how many people in this thread I don't recall ever seeing post in the Genealogy sub forum before - it's understandable how the topic has attracted interest from outside the genealogy field, but it makes me wonder just how much these people really know about DNA testing and how the companies involved work. It seems to me a lot of people are having knee-jerk reactions based on fear, not on knowledge and experience.
Gattaca is a very different concept though because it's based on the idea of genetically manufacturing humans. Children are created to be genetically perfect, thus discrimination is based on anyone not genetically manufactured to be perfect. That really has nothing to do with this. I am not saying that could never happen, but I do think we are a long way away from being capable of that, and even if/when we do reach that point, it does not mean it will inevitably happen. I do not feel that we should cease researching genetics and taking DNA tests for fear of what the future could hold - imagine if every field of science took that approach, we'd still be living in the Middle Ages.
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I never said it was an exact analogy for what the ills of DNA/genetics would bring, just one of many aspects your average person never thinks of.
Rest assured we have seen government abuse and overreach in many different areas over many years. Never assume it will not happen, as if history has taught us anything, it will happen if allowed to.
That's a whole lot different than the possibility of an insurance company being able to charge you more because your DNA shows potential for developing this disease or that. The possible ramifications for this are much farther reaching than just the stuff we willingly put online.
This is true - I work for an insurance brokerage and I have seen people refused health/disability/life insurance because the applicant put down on the application that their mother AND father died of heart disease or cancer. I have also seen people denied this insurance because they claimed they were healthy but when the insurance company checked with the medication database it was discovered that they were taking anti-depressants or some other drug for serious medical issues. There really is no privacy anymore unless you always pay cash and use a fake name at the doctor's. Don't know if they ask for I.D. if you are paying cash but almost everything we do leaves a paper trail.
As for ancestry and other DNA databases, I see this a foot hold in the door for all kinds of abuses but it can also be used for a tool to catch serious criminals as it did in this case.
if cops did have access to everybody dna, I wonder how much crime would drop?
I don’t think it would drop much at all.
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It is infuriating how these TV reporters are totaling botching up this story and calling for more government oversight into companies like Gedmatch. I suspect more reports will follow suit that peddle fear among the public. The public in general is too ignorant on this topic to know any better and these networks are counting on the publics big brother paranoia to sell these crap stories.
