One of the scariest things about living in a data driven era is how people use and distribute personal data. In recent years tech data has been the main source of blatant sharing of personal data with 3rd party companies. However, in recent news, Houston based genetic company FamilyTreeDNA has been under fire for sharing 2 Million DNA tests with the FBI. While many FamilyTreeDNA customers would not want this incident to occur, one needs to realize that companies have no choice in situations where law enforcement uses federal law to gain access to information. If you don’t want to risk relinquishing personal data, simply don’t sign up for these type of DNA test.
“Consumer DNA testing has become big business. Ancestry.com and 23andMe Inc. alone have sold more than 15 million DNA kits. Concerns about an industry commitment to privacy could hamper the industry’s rapid growth.
Since the arrest of the suspected Golden State Killer, more than a dozen other suspects have been apprehended using GEDmatch. By doubling the amount of data law enforcement have access to, those numbers are sure to surge.” – Bloomberg
What do you think about sharing of personal data like DNA? Are you willing to have your data in the hands of federal law enforcement? Let us know why or why not!
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