Posted on 04/27/2018 1:37:58 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The genealogy website used to find the man accused of being California's Golden State Killer had no idea its database was tapped in pursuit of a suspect who eluded law enforcement for four decades, the site co-founder said Friday.
Authorities never approached Florida-based GEDmatch about the case, and Curtis Rogers said law enforcement's use of the site raised privacy concerns that were echoed by civil liberties groups.
The free genealogy website, which pools DNA profiles that people upload and share publicly to find relatives, said it has always informed users its database can be used for other purposes. But Rogers said the company does not "hand out data."
"This was done without our knowledge, and it's been overwhelming," he told The Associated Press.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I’m with you, but I had to provide a cheek swab in order to get life insurance, so someone, somewhere, already has my DNA.
Saliva and/or hair samples are also used for drug screenings required for employment. This can be used for DNA collection as well.
I, like you, am against giving DNA freely, however this article made me realize that you have to provide DNA rich material in order to be insured or get employed. Seems like the horses are already out of the barn.
I had a friend who did one of those DNA test so he could find out about his ancestry; instead he found out he fathered a child in college 25 years ago 😳
I feel sorry for the people who haven't yet figured out that the internet is STILL the wild wild west. It's bad enough that you have to put your address on some database, but your DNA? Why would you voluntarily make something public that law enforcement has to get a warrant for? Think, people, think!
If I were you, I would ask to see the paper you signed that allowed them to take the DNA swab.
I worked in child support/paternity for a state. I did hundreds of swabs. I was ok with it, tho, as the results only went to ONE department, forbidden by law to be shared, and destroyed after 3 years. AND I got notice of the destruction. So I was ok with that. Of course, it wasn’t my DNA being collected!
Bingo.
I am into genealogy and thought DNA testing might really help with family links back in Europe hundreds of years ago.
My nephew is in that industry and warned me that law enforcement, intelligence services, and military were accessing records to make sure that applicants were disclosing all their relatives on security applications.
Now Uncle Joe the communist is outed.
So now my entire family is aware and are choosing not to DNA test.
I like being able to find criminals. But this seems intrusive and a real obstacle to family research.
Oops, lots of family secrets are coming out.
A friend, looking for her birth father was contacted by a DNA search company and asked if she would like to contact someone with a very close DNA.
Sure enough, she met her half brother and sister and now knows who her genetic father is. There was definitely a ruckus when the dad was outed.
You had to give them your DNA for life insurance??
since when has that become a norm?
The swab is used to test for medical conditions and drug usage that would affect your premiums. I don’t know the details as this was many years ago. However, cheek swabs are what are used for DNA tests so that is why I said that someone already has my DNA.
Who knows, maybe it has been disposed of, but it could also be like Facebook where everything is kept and cataloged. I don’t know for sure.
Please see post # 28.
The swabs and sometimes blood samples are take depending on age and the amount of life insurance being bought. Below a certain amount no tests are necessary.
The amount probably is different from state to state.
And, all our military have to supply their DNA. I did, as well as fingerprints.
There’s no “expectation of privacy” once you expectorate.
What privacy concerns? Dude should be pissed at his relatives for submitting DNA for everyone in the world to share . Curiosity killed the cat, and this guy got caught by his curios relatives. I’m not comfortable with the amount of personal information out there on the net, but this was just good detective work. Don’t leave your DNA behind when committing crimes
“I did not know that. I guess I won’t get my DNA test then”
He didn’t either. People in his family did and it was narrowed down to people in that family in that area at the time.
Mark of the beast?
Why the sad face? This is his child, someone who, like all of us, had no say in the circumstances of their conception.
I hope your friend at least responded to his child with compassion. If it happened before any marriage he should have nothing to be embarrassed about. Any subsequent wife shouldn’t feel threatened.
A much more wiser and compassionate man many years ago said he who is without sin should cast the first stone.
All of this data is tipping off the next serial killer who will wear a full hazmat suit with respirator.
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