I’m concerned about the privacy implications of DNA testing services like 23andMe or AncestryDNA. What are the potential risks of sharing our genetic data with those companies, and are there any privacy-focused alternatives available?

    • livus
      14•3 months ago

      For now. The US is a victim of legislative capture by corporations and it’s possible that in the future lobbying by insurance companies will open the door to them using some of that data.

      • The DoctorEnglish
        2•3 months ago

        They’re spending a lot of money lobbying inside the Beltway to change that. So far it hasn’t worked but it’s only a matter of time.

        • @asmoranomar@lemmy.world
          4•3 months ago

          It’s good that you were able to quote the regulations. You’re not wrong, I’m just apathetic; the question was more rhetorical. To be clear: I don’t have faith that this is strong enough to deter and/or that governing policies have enough teeth to enforce. I’d like to be wrong, but I’m not hopeful.

        • spicy pancakeEnglish
          3•3 months ago

          in terms of corporate expenses for legal penalties that’s barely a disinterested-grunt-from-parent-in-other-room, let alone a wrist slap

    • @untorquer@lemmy.world
      2•3 months ago

      It just comes down to est. profit margin vs. risk and not some ethics about lawfulnes. If they think they can eat the fines/lawsuits then they’re going to take higher profits until the hammer drops. Especially if it shows short term gains for a publicly traded company.

      That said, genetic data is probably not the biggest indicator of how much an individual will cost an insurance retailer (behavior would be better) and i’m not about to sift through HIPPA law to see all that it covers.

      My bias here is based insurance company behavior from back when they could descriminate based on pre-existing conditions as well as how any publicly traded company eventually functions. Etc…