In the past couple of years, genetic-testing companies like Ancestry and 23andMe have become popular for finding out family history and DNA information. They make for great gifts for family members and it’s a very attractive pitch to see “where you came from.” However, do you know where that information is being used and stored?
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When you sign up to share your DNA with Ancestry, you opt-in for “informed consent research.” However, you have the ability to opt out of this when you first agree to the service.
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Law enforcement can also obtain your DNA data with a court order. In fact, they recently caught The Golden State Killer by comparing online stored DNA after 32 years at large.
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All of this collected data means is that your privacy could be at risk when it comes to your genetic makeup information. Leaks are common in the data world and a DNA leak would be much worse than a credit leak because simply, you cannot change your DNA. If leaked, this data could cause people to be genetically discriminated against by employers, insurance companies, banks, etc.
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If you are uncomfortable with your DNA being sold to drug research or the possibility of a data leak, you can delete your DNA test results. Both sites have a step-by-step on deleting the data on their website.
Read full, original post: How DNA Companies Like Ancestry And 23andMe Are Using Your Genetic Data
