An increasing number of amateur genealogists have turned to DNA testing for part of their query, uploading the data to websites that point them to otherwise unknown or distant relatives, sometimes entire branches of a family tree.
But, what they upload in the process may qualify as evidence for law enforcement, which has found a measure of success using DNA databases to track down alleged criminals.
Last month, DNA evidence for the first time helped convince a jury to find a person guilty of murder. As long as law enforcement is required to first get a court order, such databases should be available, say supporters of the trend.
But some privacy advocates call the use of DNA databases for such purposes an unlawful invasion of privacy.
Today on Tech Tuesday on All Sides with Ann Fisher, DNA databases and law enforcement.
Guests:
- James Hazel, Post-doctoral Fellow at the Center for Genetic Privacy and Identity in Community Settings at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Chris Hamby, New York Times investigative reporter
- Russell Holly, Contributing Editor, Android Central
