GEDmatch privacy standards were violated by forensic genetic genealogists – IOTW Report

GEDmatch privacy standards were violated by forensic genetic genealogists

The Intercept:

[…] Forensic genetic genealogy evolved from the direct-to-consumer DNA testing craze that took hold roughly a decade ago. Companies like 23andMe and Ancestry offered DNA analysis and a database where results could be uploaded and searched against millions of other profiles, offering consumers a powerful new tool to dig into their heritage through genetics.

It wasn’t long before entrepreneurial genealogists realized this information could also be used to solve criminal cases, especially those that had gone cold.  more

9 Comments on GEDmatch privacy standards were violated by forensic genetic genealogists

  1. If you really want your dna done and don’t care about searching genealogy have CRI Genetics do it.
    It’s privately owned and has it’s own servers.
    Humana bought one of the big companies and who knows other companies that are involved in the publicly held ones.
    This searching through thousands of records to compare to crime scenes seems like a violation. They should be getting search warrants and getting them by showing possible connections to the crime or victim.

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  2. Since the 1990s, the technology has existed to allow ANY strand of DNA to be created by machines. Just enter the ATGC sequences in and out pops whatever you need. The technology was invented in Israel. Make of that what you want. Once they have your sequence, they can create and plant whatever DNA at a crime scene as necessary to achieve their goals. I’m sure it’s way easier to do now than it was in the 90s. Now their database of people is just sitting, waiting for a crime to solve.

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  3. And this is why, in spite of my wife’s urging, that it will be a frosty day in the netherworld before I submit “my precious bodily fluids” to a DNA matching.
    Through genealogical records, I know who I’m (most likely) related to on my family tree. If there are any errors, God will sort it out in the hereafter. I don’t need a DNA analysis company.
    I’m not so worried about being related to anyone nefarious; who doesn’t have a few horse thieves and pirates in their genealogy? Adds spice to an otherwise boring family reunion.
    What I AM worried about is that my DNA will be analyzed and scrutinized to the point of, “you have this and that aberrant genetics; therefore we are denying you your rights, health insurance, and job”.
    (and you know the difference between a conspiracy theory and a breaking story?……about six months to two years)

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  4. Look at percentages and you start to see what’s going on. Assuming US population, at 99.9% match is 30,000 people. Do you want to be convicted of a crime at a 99.9% match?

  5. As Steve said, and you can do the math, “99.9% uptime sounds good, right? 99.9% uptime is roughly 45 minutes a month of downtime. Almost 9 hours a year.”

    Yes, Steve was a pocket protector cat who wore Shuron Ronsir eyeglasses, and tweed jackets in 2012… and he looked like Dave Brubeck. But he was a sharp cat.

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