If 23 and Me goes bankrupt, they will sell all of the biometric data they’ve collected over decades to the highest bidder. Why can’t the US government step in to purchase the company and establish a public trust?

  • HessiaNerd@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Honestly, the law enforcement implications of the government buying the database is just as scary as a 3rd party. Hell I bet a company buys the data and sells access to the FBI, and local law enforcement for a subscription fee.

      • HessiaNerd@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        You answered your own question. So they don’t need a warrant. For a fee, they can run ALL DNA collected against just about everyone, no probable cause required.

        • Excrubulent@slrpnk.net
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          1 month ago

          I don’t even know if that would be legal, but that doesn’t matter. The fee creates a little bit of disconnection so both parties can assume that questions of legality are the others’ responsibility.

          This doesn’t make it legal either, it just makes it more likely to happen, and slightly harder to prosecute.

      • Milk_Sheikh@lemm.ee
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        1 month ago

        Cuz they print the money and set policing budgets astronomically high. A warrant requires paperwork and a judge (though FISA made that a joke), just buying it outright is far easier.