Powerful tools are now available to anyone who wants to look for a DNA match, which has troubling privacy implications.
I find this mechanics relating to privacy in this case to be extremely similar to Facebook’s leak of data via Cambridge Analytica. Something crucial to your personal identity can be accidentally leaked out or be made discoverable to others by the actions of your closest family members.
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Chris Aldrich
I'm a biomedical and electrical engineer with interests in information theory, complexity, evolution, genetics, signal processing, IndieWeb, theoretical mathematics, and big history.
I'm also a talent manager-producer-publisher in the entertainment industry with expertise in representation, distribution, finance, production, content delivery, and new media.
View all posts by Chris Aldrich
I find it worrisome too. Of course at the moment it is great, and we got a serial killer off the streets. But what if my future employer checks my relatives for health risks and decides not to hire me because my relatives have some gene that might affect me too? Is it ok for my current employer to check? So many more questions.
Nice read and commentary.
I you really want some cause for worry, try reading Cathy O’Neil’s book Weapons of Math Destruction:How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy which touches on many more cases and their potential impacts. https://amzn.to/2JEPFER
Though if you’re trying to get around health barriers from your insurance carrier, I did come across this handy device the other day: http://boffosocko.com/2018/04/27/akadashan-tweet-about-swinging-cradle-for-your-phone/
Thanks for the book recommendation; I think I started it on audio and couldn’t take it in that way and then forgot about it. (Not all books are meant for audio!)