Public fascination with genetic testing has grown in recent years, as technological advancements have made it more accessible to everyone.
But once you hand over a swab of your saliva to one of the many genetic testing companies that exist today, how safe is your DNA? Perhaps not as safe as you think.
According to
reports, companies such as Ancestry and 23andMe are willing to give your DNA to police if they have a warrant. Police can also obtain a family member's DNA in order to find a match.
Please join in demanding that Ancestry and 23andMe respect the privacy of their users and refuse to give genetic information to law enforcement.Both companies are explicit about the fact that your genetic information could be handed over to police, thought it isn't that common. 23andMe considers DNA requests from law enforcement on a case-by-case basis, and so far has refused all five requests it has received. Ancestry, however, did comply with a 2014 search warrant and gave police genetic information on one of its customers.
Genetic testing companies should respect the privacy of their paying customers and refuse to give police unfettered access to people's DNA. Please sign this petition demanding that Ancestry and 23andMe change their policies and withhold genetic information from law enforcement.