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Even Your DNA Isn't Your Own. The Government Can Take It Without a Warrant

2 Sep 2022 8:50 AM | Anonymous

Liz Terwilliger has written a disturbing article that has been published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette web site. She writes:

"Did you ever spit into a plastic tube and mail it in to learn if you really have Sicilian blood, or Moroccan ancestors? Ancestry investigations for fun, right? Fun, except when the information from that DNA is shared without your knowledge.

"Ancestry.com, one of the largest repositories of personal DNA data, publishes transparency reports periodically, outlining their response to governmental requests for an individual’s data. In a recent report, the company admits they will supply your DNA to the government with “a court order or search warrant.”

"23andMe, another popular DNA ancestry site, is even more vague in the privacy statement on their website. They won’t release individual data unless 'required to do so by court order, subpoena, search warrant or other requests that we determine are legally valid.'"

There is a lot more to Liz Terwilliger's article. You can read the full article at: https://bit.ly/3BidpMZ

Note: Liz Terwilliger is a founding member of Reform Congress, a national nonpartisan movement or responsible representation. She is running for congress in Pennsylvania’s District 9.


Comments

  • 3 Sep 2022 6:46 AM | Anonymous
    The Patriot Act allows the government to access any health info without a warrant. More info here:
    https://www.aclu.org/other/faq-government-access-medical-records

    Presumably this would include DNA submitted for medical genetic testing.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 3 Sep 2022 8:37 AM | Anonymous
    "the company admits they will supply your DNA to the government with 'a court order or search warrant'.”

    The company "admits"? That statement is nonsense. They have no choice. If they are served with a court order or a search warrant, then they must comply. There is really no issue here.
    Link  •  Reply

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